1. THE EUROPEAN TOWN TWINNING MOVEMENT Role and activities of CEMR
Manuella Portier
Project Officer - Citizenship
Brussels, 3 November 2010

2. Introduction Founded in 1951 by a group of European mayors
Oldest and broadest association of local and regional authorities
Members: 53 national associations of towns, municipalities and regions from 39 European countries

3. CEMR’s members

4. Activities Influence European law and policy
Enhance local and regional contribution to the shaping of the EU
Promoting a united Europe based on local and regional self government and democracy: twinning as a tool
Exchange experience at local and regional level
Cooperate with partners in other parts of the world

5. Political structure President Policy Committee Executive Bureau
Michael Häupl
Policy
Committee
Executive
Bureau
Secretariat
General

6. CEMR’s President
Is elected by the Policy Committee for a three year term
Represents CEMR and chairs the statutory meetings
In December 2005, the mayor of Vienna, Michael Häupl, was elected president
His predecessor was Valéry Giscard d’Estaing

7. Policy Committee CEMR’s main governing body
Over 100 members elected for 3 years
CEMR’s main governing body
Approves the budget and the annual work programme
Decides on the broad policy lines and on the new members’ application

8. Executive Bureau Follows up the Policy Committee’s decisions
President + Vice-Presidents + Executive Presidents
Follows up the Policy Committee’s decisions
Is responsible for CEMR’s work and policy
Meets twice a year

9. Secretary General Elected by the Policy Committee for a six year term
Ensures CEMR’s daily functionning
In 2009, Frédéric Vallier elected Secretary General
Staff of around 20 based in Brussels and Paris

10. Fields of activities Local and regional government as an employer
North South Cooperation
Local and regional democracy
Equal opportunities
Employment
Energy
Environment
Governance & future of the EU
Twinning
International local government
Regional Policy
Social Affairs
Urban and rural policies
Public services / Procurement
Transport
Information Society 10

11. Facts and figures 39 countries 53 associations
budget : +/- 2,000,000 €
± 20,000 twinning links between towns of all over Europe
100,000 towns and regions

13. CEMR’s publications

14. The origin of the European town twinning movement
1st wave of town twinning links in the ’50s in the aftermath of WWII
Upon an initiative of a handful of Mayors convinced that friendship between the citizens was the necessary first step to rebuilding a stable and peaceful Europe
Closely linked to the EU construction process
First twinning agreements were mostly signed between France and Germany
Creation of CEMR in 1951 : to support the birth of the twinning movement and the structuration of associations of local authorities
Local authorities: closest level to citizens; crucial role to build up Europe from citizens’ perspective

15. The role of the twinning after the war
Solidarity between citizens to rebuild towns and infrastructures after the war
Reconciliation between citizens from enemy countries after the war
Starting remembrance process after the holocaust
Knowing history not to repeat the mistakes of the past
Taking part in the EU construction process from a local level
Birth of friendship links between towns in Europe
Intercultural dialogue beyond physical, mental and linguistic barriers

16. Evolution of twinning in the 1980s
A new context
- 1989: Fall of the Iron Curtain: Europe searches for new unifying values
: Maastricht Treaty (European Citizenship, new fields of activities and principle of subsidiarity)
Role of twinning
- Help to prepare for independence (structuration of local authorities)
- Help to prepare for future EU enlargement (exchange of practices, intercultural competences)
- Help European citizens to share a feeling of belonging to the same community
- Help to define common values and experiment differences

17. EU support to town twinning
Action of CEMR advocating for a EU institutional support for European twinning movement
1989: creation of a EU budgetary line dedicated to town twinning links in Europe (report from Nicole Fontaine, EU Parliament)
Impact: significant growth of the European twinning movement: twinning links in 1991, in 2010 (117 in Cyprus mainly with Greece, then France and Germany)
: « Europe for Citizens » programme; Action 1 : « Active Citizens for Europe » (50% of total budget)
CEMR: referee association to EU institutions for twinning, consulted by European Commission on content of next EU twinning programme

18. Role of CEMR to support town twinning
Coordinates the work of its member national associations in the field of twinning: a working group of “European twinning officers”
 Chair of CEMR’s Twinning Group: Mayor of Oswiecim (Auschwitz), Janusz Marszalek
Working group meets regularly to share practices, exchange experiences of the use of action 1 of « Europe for Citizens », set topical priorities for town twinning in Europe (social cohesion, public services, citizenship, etc.)
Is dialogue partner for DG EAC and EACEA on EU twinning programme : consultation meetings
Work with local/regional authorities to bring voice from the ground to the EC and EP for adequate EU policy to support twinning

19. Informs its member associations about EU twinning programme’s updates and events
Organises twinning-related events (e.g. 9th European Twinning Congress in Rhodos in 2007)
Produces studies and guides including a practical handbook, “Twinning for tomorrow’s world” (with best practices examples)
Has developed a website dedicated to European and International town twinning: information in 23 languages about funding and possibility to search for a twinning partner in Europe and beyond

20. Role of CEMR’s national associations to support twinning
A twinning officer designated for each country where CEMR has member associations
The associations represent their members at national level: towns, provinces, counties or regions
They provide assistance in the area of twinning to their members
They help finding a twinning partner in Europe or beyond (through the website)
Help their members put in place twinning partnerships
They train their members to the management of town twinning project
They produce information supports on town twinning for their members including news on the EU twinning programme (newsletters, websites, etc.)

21. They provide their members with information about funding opportunities for twinning activities and events
They aggregate twinning data at national level (number of twinned towns, type of activities, contact points, etc.)
They are dialogue partner at EU level as members of CEMR for European institutions
They are dialogue partner at national level for their members in the field of European/international cooperation
They promote and communicate on local twinning actions at national level
They support their national government in negotiating accessibility of non EU member states to the programme “Europe for Citizens” (Balkan countries)

22. European twinning Congresses
9th Twinning Congress in 2007 in Rhodos, Greece: "Twinning for Tomorrow’s World”
Over 500 local and regional elected representatives and activists of the twinning movement
Publication of a practical handbook “Twinning for Tomorrow’s World”
It gives an overview of town twinning activities in Europe and in the world, features example of good practices on various issues, gives advice for setting up good twinning links and informs on EU funding possibilities
Creation of the twinning website
A virtual multilingual meeting place for local government from Europe and beyond which provides information about town twinning (What is town twinning? Why is it relevant and useful? How to fund a twinning link? Tips for successful twinnings...)

23. 10th Twinning & Citizenship Congress
European twinning Congresses
10th Twinning & Citizenship Congress
in 2011 in Rybnik, Poland
During the Polish presidency of the EU
3 regional seminars to prepare the content of the event
- in March 2010 in Tallinn (Estonia)
- in June 2010 in Malta
- in November 2010 in Cologne (Germany)
Objective of these seminars:
- to focus each time on a specific geographical area (North, South and Centre/East of Europe)
- to examine, with the local actors, the different approaches to twinning and the expectations of citizens and towns towards twinning links in today’s Europe
- to draw an overall assessment of twinning practices in Europe and to continue the reflection on the modernisation of the community programme

24. TWINNING WEBSITE Launch in November 2008 Adress: www.twinnings.org
A unique tool (interactiv platform) available in 23 languages (and soon in Albanian and Turkish)
Still under construction (future improvements to come)
428 ads published in September 2010 (129 in March 2010)
3 ads from Cyprus municipalities
Objective: to facilitate exchanges of information and the search of partners
A tool to facilitate and reinforce the twinning movement, to emphasize the work of the national associations, to disseminate the twinning movement in the broader Europe
Key role of the national associations by validating the ads

37. FURTHER INFORMATION Council of European Municipalities and Regions
CEMR – Paris Office
15 Rue de Richelieu, F Paris
Sandra Ceciarini, Director of Citizenship and International Cooperation
Manuella Portier, Project officer Citizenship