1. RECEPTION OF THE EUROPE COLLEGE 19 SEPTEMBER 2007
THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION OF BELGIUM AT THE LEVEL OF THE PROVINCE
RECEPTION OF THE EUROPE COLLEGE
19 SEPTEMBER 2007
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2. Outline of the administrative. organisation of Belgium 2
Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium 2. Provinces in Flanders 3. Province of West Flanders
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3. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1 Basic governments at three levels
International institutions
Federal State
Regions
Communities
Provinces
Municipalities
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5. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.1 Federal State
a. Belgium = Federal State
b. Institutions
Chamber of Representatives
Senate
King and Federal Government
c. Competences
Foreign Affairs, National Defence, Justice, Finance, Social Security, Public Health, Internal Affairs, …
a federal state does not constitute a higher government with respect to Communities and Districts
NB. Constitutional Court: violation of the distribution of competences
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6. Federal state
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7. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.2 Communities
a. Flemish Community
French Community
German-speaking Community
b. Institutions
Council/Parliament
Government
c. Competences
culture, education, official use of languages, health policy, assistance to individuals
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8. Communities
Flemish community
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9. Communities
French community
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10. German-speaking community
Communities
German-speaking community
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11. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.3 Regions
a. Flemish Region
Walloon Region
Brussels-Capital Region
b. Institutions
Council/Parliament
Government
NB. 1 Flemish Parliament and 1 Flemish Government
(= Community + Region)
c. Competences
economy, employment, agriculture, water policy, housing, public works, energy, transport, environment, town and country planning, nature, local governments
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12. Regions Flemish region Walloon region Brussels-capital region 1-1-2019
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13. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.4 Provinces
a. - Five Flemish Provinces:
Antwerp, Limburg, Flemish Brabant, East Flanders, West Flanders
- Five Walloon Provinces:
Hainault, Liège, Luxemburg, Namur, Walloon Brabant
- Brussels-Capital Region
≠ province
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14. provinces Five Flemish provincies :
Antwerp (1) , Limbourg (2), East Flanders (3) ,
Flemish Brabant (4) , West Flanders (5) ,
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15. provinces
Five Walloon provinces :
Walloon Brabant (1), Hainault (2), Liège (3) , Luxemburg (4), Namur (5)
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16. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.4 Provinces
b. Institutions
Provincial Council
Deputation (Provincial Executive)
Governor
c. Competences
matters of provincial interest
shared government
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17. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.5 Municipalities
a municipalities
b. Institutions
Municipal Council
College of Mayor and Aldermen
Mayor
NB. Districts (District council, Bureau, president)
c. Competences
municipal interest
shared government
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18. Municipalities in West Flanders
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19. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.1.6 State reforms
1970 cultural communities
communities & 2 regions
rd region (Brussels) and additional regionalization of competences
1993 regionalization of competences
2001 regionalization of competences (among which organic legislation for provinces and municipalities)
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20. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.2 Government organisations with a closed task setting
1.2.1 By law or decree
International institutions
Federal State
Regions
Communities
Flemish public institution
semi-govern-mental
external department ministry
Provinces
police zone
public centre for social welfare
polders/ protection against flooding
administra-tion religious services
Municipalities
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21. 1. Outline of the administrative organisation of Belgium
1.2.2 Voluntary foundation or association
International institutions
Federal State
Regions
Communities
Internal provincial autonomous agency
Provinces
intermunicipal co-operation
External provincial autonomous agency
npo (nonprofit organisation)
Municipalities
Internal or external local autonomous agency
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22. 2. Provinces 2.1 Provinces = decentralized governments
a. provincial law 30 April 1836 and
- Flemish provincial decree 9 december 2005
- Decree of 12 February 2004 with regard to the organisation of the Walloon provinces
* autonomy: provincial interest
* administrative supervision
b. core task debate Flanders – provinces –
municipalities (agreement: 2003)
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23. 2. Provinces 2.1 Provinces =decentralized governments
c. definition of “provincial interest” (art provincial decree 9 december 2005)
1. intermediary decision-making Support for other governement organisations Cooperation in a region
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24. 2. Provinces 2.2 Provincial council 2.2.1 Composition 2.2.2 Meetings
Directly elected every six years
Min. 47 / max. 84 provincial council members
Chairman
Bureau
Commissions
2.2.2 Meetings
At the invitation of the chairman “whenever matters falling within the competence of the provincial council require a meeting”
An average of 1x a month
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25. 2. Provinces 2.2 Provincial council 2.2.3 Competences
Integrity of competences
Regulations
Advisory bodies
Appoint members of the deputation
Budget
Personnel matters
Provincial goods
Government assignments
Policy plans
Establish provincial institutions
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26. 2. Provinces 2.3 Deputation 2.3.1 Composition 2.3.2 Meetings
Appointed by the Provincial Council
6 elected members
+ Governor (chairman)
+ Provincial clerk (secretary)
2.3.2 Meetings
An average of 1x a week
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27. 2. Provinces 2.3 Deputation 2.3.3 Competences
Daily government of province
Decision-making of Provincial Council and Deputation
Decision-taking of Provincial council and Deputation
Shared government Federal State, Community and Region (e.g. urban development and environmental licences)
NEW: Delegation by the Provincial Council
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28. 2. Provinces
2.4 Governor
2.4.1 Appointed by the Flemish Government on the unanimous advice of the Federal Government
2.4.2 Competences + qualities
Government commissioner Flemish Government (e.g. administrative supervision on municipalities)
Government commissioner Federal Government (e.g. maintaining of public order and safety)
Chairman Deputation
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29. 2. Provinces 2.5 Provincial clerk
2.5.1 Appointed by the Provincial Council
2.5.2 Competences
Guidance of provincial staff (+ federal staff at provincial governments)
Provincial Council and Deputation secretariat
Correspondence; archives
NEW: Delegation by the Deputation (daily governement)
NEW: financial administration/internal control
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30. 2. Provinces 2.6 Financial manager
2.6.1 Appointed by the Provincial Council
2.6.2 Competences
Accounting, annual accounts, payments, accounts management, investments, …
Control of commitments
Tax collection
Budgetary advice and long-range plan
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31. 2. Provinces 2.7 Management team
* Coordination – communication - quality
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32. 2.9 Financing of provinces
2.8 Administration
Provincial staff
Flemish Community Ministry staff
Federal staff
2.9 Financing of provinces
Taxation
Provincial Fund
Subsidies (convenants)
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33. 2.11 Administrative supervision on provinces
2.10 Privatization
External autonomous agency with corporate personality (public/private law)
Internal autonomous agency
Participation in associations and institutions
2.11 Administrative supervision on provinces
Regular administrative supervision = Regions
Approval/authorization
Suspension
Nullification
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34. 3. Province of West Flanders
3.1 PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
Chairman: Jean de Bethune
84 members
majority: 2 political parties:
minority: 3 political parties:
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35. 3. Province of West Flanders
3.2 DEPUTATION (Provincial executive)
Chairman: Paul Breyne, governor
Members: Jan Durnez, Patrick Van Gheluwe, Dirk De fauw, Marleen Titeca-Decraene, Gunter Pertry and Bart Naeyaert.
Provincial registrar: Hilaire Ost
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36. 3. Province of West Flanders
3.3 Region for Recreation
Recreation:
- Westtoer (autonomous Provincial enterprise)
- Provincial domains
Culture:
- Provincial Museum for Modern Art (Ostend)
- TiNCK
- Cultural prizes, tournaments en festivals
- computer network for public libraries
- maintainance en restauration cultural patrimony
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37. 3. Province of West Flanders
3.4 Enterprising Region
Tourism:
- Westtoer (autonomous Provincial enterprise)
Agriculture:
- Provincial Centre for Agricultural Research and Development
Economic Development - POM
- (Provincial Corporation for Economic Development)
Education
- Provincial Technical Institute
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38. 3. Province of West Flanders
3.5 Quality Region
Environment and Nature:
- nature and environmental education
- management of non-navigable watercourses
- environmental policyplan and Town and Country planning
Welfare:
- support for municipalities, public centres for social welfare and private institutions
- management of own institutions for the handicapped
- educational centre for development aid
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