Political priorities for the 2018-2023 mandate
Defending municipal autonomy
- by being guided in all its actions by the principles of local autonomy, subsidiarity and proportionality;
- by ensuring strict compliance with the European Charter of Local Self-Government of 15th October 1985 and intervening with national authorities for the full implementation of Recommendation 380 (2015) of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities on local democracy in Luxembourg;
- by advocating a decrease of administrative supervision over municipal acts and personnel, with the main aim of limiting it to a strict legality check.
Ensuring that the interests of municipalities are taken into account by the Government
- by intervening proactively and on its own initiative with the relevant authorities to defend the general and common interests of its members;
- by being at the disposal of the government to discuss any initiatives concerning municipalities;
- by committing to the institutionalisation of a systematic consultation of municipalities via SYVICOL as part of the legislative or regulatory procedures on all draft texts affecting municipalities;
- by providing well-founded, clear and relevant opinions, focusing on defending the interests of municipalities and ensuring that any new legislation or regulation respects the autonomy of municipalities and is guided by the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, in order to avoid over-regulation;
- by monitoring parliamentary documents and, if the evolution of the texts makes it necessary, by providing second supplementary opinions;
- as part of a possible territorial reform that would be initiated by the Government, insisting on adequate consultation of the municipalities, in accordance with Article 5 of the European Charter of Local Self-Government [1].
Working for the interests of Luxembourg municipalities at international level
- by contributing to the work of international organizations representing local and regional authorities;
- by seeking to establish a regular and direct exchange with associations of municipalities in other countries;
- by promoting cross-border cooperation between municipalities.
Ensure municipalities have stable, predictable and mission-appropriate revenues
- by analysing the effects of the municipal financial reform that came into force on 1st of January 2017 and intervening with the Government if necessary, to eliminate possible inequities in the allocation of funds;
- by following the future developments of municipal finances in comparison to those of the State, particularly in view of macroeconomic developments, and their adequacy for municipal missions;
- by intervening with the relevant authorities for an in-depth property tax reform, a long-standing demand of SYVICOL, in order to restore the equality of citizens before public charges/taxes.
Reviewing and clarifying the competences and missions of municipalities
- by stressing the importance of a clear legal demarcation between the competences of the State and those of the municipalities and insisting on the free exercise of the tasks entrusted to them, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 4 of the European Charter of local self-government [2];
- by advocating the recognition of various legally optional missions for municipalities as compulsory missions by applying the principle of commensurate financing enshrined in international standards and recognised by the draft revision of the Constitution currently under review [3];
- by inviting the legislature to formalize as optional missions for communes certain missions not recognized as such in the past, such as decentralized cooperation;
- by calling for clear and fair rules of co-decision and co-financing in the course of the execution of missions shared by the State and the municipalities, giving municipalities room for manoeuvre in decision-making and allowing them to maintain control over their spending.
Increase the involvement of municipalities in the association's activities
- by inviting interested elected officials and civil servants to contribute to the thematic SYVICOL dossiers that they have an interest in, including through ad hoc working groups;
- by keeping municipalities regularly informed about the association's activities;
- by consulting its members on their expectations for SYVICOL.
Supporting municipalities in carrying out their day-to-day missions
- by extending the training offer for elected officials and civil servants;
- encouraging the exchange and sharing of knowledge between municipalities;
- by systematically intervening in favour of administrative simplification, whether at the level of the internal functioning of municipalities or in relation to their dealings with other authorities;
- by supporting municipalities in the implementation of new laws and regulations and reporting possible practical problems to the relevant authorities, so that they take the necessary measures to resolve them ;
- in the context of the recent reform in the civil service, by working for a modernization of the municipal administration and in particular by advocating a review of the legal missions of certain civil servants holding leading positions;
- by reviving the government's proposal for the introduction of a code of conduct for locally elected representatives.
Encouraging citizen participation and the social endeavours of municipalities
- by supporting the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities demand for national authorities to consider signing and ratifying the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority;
- by promoting the democratic participation of the population at communal level, and in particular groups that are currently under-represented, such as young people, women, non-Luxembourgish residents, etc.;
- by working for social cohesion, integration, inclusion and equal opportunities;
- by advocating greater involvement of municipal elected officials in the management of social offices.
[1] European Charter of Local Self-Government of 15 October 1985, article 5: " Changes in local authority boundaries shall not be made without prior consultation of the local communities concerned, possibly by means of a referendum where this is permitted by statute. "
[2] European Charter of Local Self-Government of 15 October 1985, article 4, paragraph 4: " Powers given to local authorities shall normally be full and exclusive. They may not be undermined or limited by another, central or regional, authority except as provided for by the law. "
[3] Parliamentary document N°603023, article 122, paragraph 3: " Les communes ont droit aux ressources financières pour remplir les missions leur confiées par la loi (Municipalities are entitled to the financial resources to carry out the missions entrusted to them by law)". (Full text only available in French)
Unanimously adopted by the committee of SYVICOL on 30th of April 2018
