The level of local democracy in Andorra and its general compliance with the European Charter of Local Self-Government were highlighted in a report adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, at its 34th Session, in Strasbourg, on 28 March 2018. The report is the result of the first monitoring visit carried out in Andorra by the co-rapporteurs, Gaye DOGANOGLU (Turkey, EPP/CCE) and Zdenek BROZ (Czech Republic, ECR), in April 2017.
The rapporteurs stressed that a well-established dialogue between the central and local authorities, as well as representation of municipalities in the Parliament set a high bar for other states.
“The monitoring visit allowed us to observe how local self-government functions in a country with a small surface area. We were pleased to observe some effects of this territorial factor on the organisation of local democracy and the positive impact on the application of some provisions of the Charter, in particular on consultations with local authorities”, underlined Zdenek BROZ.
However the rapporteurs recommend the city of Andorra la Vella should be granted a special status, on the basis of Congress Recommendation 219 (2007), establishing different legal arrangements to take account of the particular situation of the Capital city compared to other municipalities. “We also recommend to the Andorran authorities to formalise in law the mechanism of consultation of local authorities by the central authorities which would further safeguard the right of local authorities to be consulted on all matters that concern them directly”, outlined Gaye DOGANOGLU.
The Congress suggests Andorran authorities to consider ratifying the provisions of the Charter on commensurate fiscal resources and on financial equalisation, as well as signing the Additional Protocol to the Charter on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority.
Andorra is currently carrying out a reform of competences and financial resources, having conducted tripartite negotiations, involving the government, the parliament and the local authorities. The reform is aimed at updating the entire system of transfers and revising the criteria of distribution between municipalities on the basis of the principle of solidarity, introduced in favour of those municipalities that receive less revenue from local taxes. The Congress encouraged the authorities to pursue and finalise these reforms, in line with the principles enshrined in the Charter.
- Report CG34(2018)14
- Additional Protocol to the Charter on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority
- Presentation by Zdenek BROZ (Czech Republic, ECR)
- Presentation by Gaye DOGANOGLU (Turkey, EPP/CCE)
- Video of the debate
** 34th Session of the Congress **
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