Rapid answer. As to me, there is no clear answer in the two national situation that I know best. In France, there are lots of very small municipalities and they can provide public services only if they cooperate to produce them. There are also the "urban communities", generaly around a large city; in the latter case, as these communities have taxing powers, this may lead to greater integration. In Belgium, more than 3000 municipalities have been merged into 589 ones in 1976. Therefore, inter-municipal cooperation remain important, especialy in utilities and social services( hospitals,...), while ad hoc authorities have been or are to be established for local police and fire services. Unfortunately, all references of my knowledge on these cases are in French.

Thank you, dear Jean-Francois,

for the answer. May I have an additional question/s? What is nature of the IMC in France? Is it voluntary or compulsory? As far as I know, from legal point of view, nowadays the municipalities in France must cooperate. Is it right? And concerning potential amalgamation of French municipalities, could one see any public debate on potential amalgamation processes in France?

Daniel

Daniel,

The distribution of public administration in Spain from the politic transition is like a cheese cake. There are a Central administracion, autonomic communities (like land in Germany but more developed), a Diputacions (similiar of province, heritage of dictatorial system), and other figures as a mancomunities (commonwealth), federations, consortia...

Almost of this public administration have a public budget, politic representation (not directly choose by citizen in almost), and public servilian.

In the case of Catalonia, an Autonomous Community has a "regional council". In this case it bring municipalities, almost small and has some competences delegated. In this case every council has other competences ( not delegated but assumed with de Mayor's).

This king of administration is so critiziced for the load of politics, its fes transparency, and co-competences with the bigger municipalities.

Althought is a good experience to know how small villages and towns woork togheter in joint problems.

You can visit p.e. on of them in www.ccmaresme.cat

Thank you, dear Jordi,

for your answer as well as recommended web-site. However, I have additional question. Do you know any case (for instance in Catalonia) when the some form of the IMC led to amalgamation of two or more municipalities?

Daniel

Hi,

here the example from Slovenia: inter-municipal co-operation is allowed and governed by the law on self-governance. Municipalities can agree to do it and most common field for which they do it is the spatial planning and utilities' provision or the local inspectorate . It is more common for smaller municipalities (500 to 2,000 inh.) which were created in the last 15 years out of the larger municipalities. Government also gives subsidies to establish such an inter-municipal office, so now, small municipalities are even keener on it.

However, I would argue this cannot be so much understood as a supplement for amalgamation. The amalgamation reform has been talked about in Slovenia for quite some time but then there is always the constitutional question for the right of self-governing if people of certain area decide so.

In Austria, the land of Styria has forced now the municipalities to join into larger units until the end of the year. If they do so voluntarily, e.g. four or so should be joined into the one, then they get some subsidies for the transformation. If they cannot agree, the state would do so by the end of this year. This process is currently also under constitutional judgement.

Naja

Thank you, dear Naja,

For the interesting cases. I agree with you that IMC and amalgamation reform are different tools. However, for instance in Slovakia, existence of the IMC is used as one of the main arguments against implementation of any amalgamation reform. Concerning Slovenia, do you know any case when some form of the IMC led to amalgamation of two or more municipalities? And one additional question: you have mentioned that there was a public debate on amalgamation reform in Slovenia - was it connected with some exact proposal (e.g. some policy strategy prepared by some expert group)?

Daniel

Answer to the first question: no, this is highly unlikely. Especially small municipalities were only established after Slovenia got independence and the last municipality was established some three years ago. So, now these municipalities are not really eager to join again since they did not necessarily depart on good terms.

Answer to the second questions: I am not aware of any policy strategy (as is the case of Austria, no). However, I found some article that depict what the idea last year was: to get from 212 to 120 municipalities. You might understand something from these two links:

http://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/prenovo-drzave-zaceti-z-dna-pri-obcinah.html

http://ipop.si/2013/09/06/nov-predlog-o-zdruzevanju-obcin/

Once more, thank you, dear Naja.

I can follow Slovenian, so I looked at the recommended web-pages. The Slovenian case reminds me the Slovak case. A few proposals (usually elaborated by academicians, however, in 2004 the amalgamation strategy was prepared by expert group led by government commissioner, and amalgamation reform was a part of policy agenda of the central government) have been introduced in Slovakia since 1990s but no one has been implemented. And the heaviest resistance has been expressed by both representatives of local governments (especially mayors associated in the Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia - ZMOS) and representatives of political opposition.

However, due to lack of capacities (personal, financial etc.) very high number of municipalities in Slovakia have had to use some form of the IMC. And voluntary nature of the IMC caused even bigger chaos at the local level (if you are interested in, check my chapter in the attached book and you can see how complicated and inefficient system we have in Slovakia right now).

Daniel

Book TERRITORIAL CONSOLIDATION REFORMS IN EUROPE