Territorial Reform: Regions and territories stronger
By Paulette Pommier, former specialist of territorial competitiveness in DATAR
After a first law passed at the end of 2013, the "Act 3 of Decentralisation process" is accurate with both bills that the government has announced mid June. One relates primarily to the perimeter areas and the timing of elections of representatives of Regions, the other concerns "a new territorial organisation." With the latter, the government lays down the principles of deep reforms. The region is confirmed in a leadership role in economic development with a clarification of responsibilities of local authorities, a transfer to the the Region of the competency of Economic Development to lead the development of two schemes with prescriptive value, the duty to negotiate with other local authorities including cities but the recognition of the superiority of the scheme elaborated by the Region in the event of disagreement, the increase in its response capabilities with the possibility to enter the capital of commercial companies etc..
As a result, the perimeter of future regions ( focus point of the other bill) so highly publicized aspect of the reform, will not hold our attention. But the preconditions for successful decentralization project and produce the expected effects in terms of competitiveness and employment.
For that purpose we will study the following topics:
• The extent of the economic competence
• The responsabilities of the territories
• The identity and participation of leading holders and resources
• The decreasing responsabilities of the state?
Economic competence: a too restrictive conception
When we observe strong European Regions is less the size (size of their population or area) which is surprising that their ability to act on all the factors that contribute to economic development, including the human factor. Training at all levels, higher and professional continuing education are part of their responsibilities. Similarly, the management of the labor market, in France, is a crumbled competence: There are many organizations but ultimately few advisors for unemployed.
From this point of view the bill would have been more daring. This is a broader set of responsibilities that should be recognized in the Region. For how to boost economic development without the ability to act on the skills of men and women who will impulse this development? Without trying to remove tension on certain qualifications? Without taking into account the capacities of all human resources in the region, especially its young people? Targeting businesses, the editor of the project adheres to a classic vision and outdated economic action.
Yet the French Regions (as European Regions), at the invitation of the European Commission, have made with the development of Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) great work of reflection and identification of their top priorities. In his summary of SRI, DATAR found that the regions, to increase the efficiency of innovation systems, had slightly open new perspectives, focusing on human capital, innovation management, territorial cooperation, etc.. Diagnoses showed that the level of human resources, mastery of skills (non-technological) were among the most important determinants of the ability to innovate.
Territories: build around them
The presentation of the draft law on territorial organisation recognises that regions will have to "support local economic development by deploying their action on coherent territories, taking into account the mobility of people between living areas and economic regions." Given direction is good because the company is just one component of an ecosystem and individual business assistance contributes only marginally to the future of a territory. Solidarity and productive interdependence are much more important. Ten years of work of the State and the Regions on the "Poles of Competitiveness" (Clusters made by companies, laboratories and universities committed together by a common strategy), have made these as a kind of common good. The methodology is known and shared by inclusion of the approach in an area, the importance of collaborative projects between companies and knowledge structures, entertainment networks, incentives for innovation, openness to international etc..
It should not stop there. Regions must continue this work of monitoring their territories, provide the means to detect ecosystems (clusters) emerging as those to reinforce or invent, territory by territory (suburbs included) and support them. It is in these clusters (in the broad sense) that ETI and SMEs will find resources to grow. This territorial dimension at the level which are defined the trajectories and economic changes must be clearly stated.
Identity and participation
Regions, as they are quite new institutions remain little known by the citizens. The success of decentralization will go through the invention of methods of participation and communication. Communication even more difficult as the regions have not, unlike other local authorities (county and towns), substantial investment budgets. And innovation policy is not as visible as building a new gymnasium. Regions should also strengthen their identity. This is a fundamental concept of democracy. Social forces have to be oncluded in this effort to build a project and a picture. This should lead us to rethink the role of regional economic, social and environmental committees (CESER), an issue that is not addressed in the bill projects. Several reasons argue in favor of a reform of this institution. As part of the planned decentralization, it seems difficult to continue to designate its members by the representative of the State. It could be suggested that the composition of the Boards be established differently for membership renewal: by category of socio economic forces ( Farmers, professionals, family associations, etc.) with a right for each to designate a personality that would Council member. This renewed CESER could accommodate within it a committee bringing together the social partners. This commission should be closely associated with the development of strategies for economic development of the region, including the regional scheme of economic development, innovation and internationalisation as created by the draft law on territorial organisation. Then be an actor involved in the transformation of the economy.
A real overhaul of the map of public power with a reduced state?
Last issue, the impact of the reform in terms of organization of the presence of public power in the territory: the State, Regions, public institutions of intercommunal cooperation (EPCI). Consequence of reducing the number of regions (provided by legislation), the demise of the departments and the rise of EPCI, the presence of public power will be significantly affected.
What about the State? This is the Prefect of the region that will become the cornerstone of public policy of the State. Guarantor of sovereign powers, he should ensure the link between the major national and territorial strategies. In the continuation of a process that began with the RGPP (general revision of public policies) and because of the transfer of responsibilities to the regions, the human resources of prefectures should decrease. Will this be so? This would be a good indicator of the reality of decentralization; would be further reducing the number of central departments of government (at national level) that would show the confidence of the State and its desire to erase the areas in the regions have to invest!
At the departmental level, the changes come from the disappearance of the department which should logically lead the disappearance of the prefect of the department. But before this occurs, the law gives him a task: to ensure good distribution on the county territory of the public services, and making him to be responsible for the elaboration of the scheme of accessibility of public services in association with the EPCI.
The disappearance of the community "department" paves the way for a reflection on the sub-regional organization. It offers unique opportunities (will they be captured?) for approximate the administrative and the economic and social map, maybe including the 1700 or living areas of 300 employment areas. Should at this last step imagine state representatives (prefects and sub-prefects) which would replace the counties prefects? And in the process, why not reform the mode of representation of regional governments in choosing the employment area (employment area) as a constituency for regional elections? And since intercommunal communities must reinforce, why not try to reconcile their perimeters with the levels of solidarity and organization of many public services that are living areas?
Paulette Pommier
07/08/2014
By Paulette Pommier, former specialist of territorial competitiveness in DATAR
After a first law passed at the end of 2013, the "Act 3 of Decentralisation process" is accurate with both bills that the government has announced mid June. One relates primarily to the perimeter areas and the timing of elections of representatives of Regions, the other concerns "a new territorial organisation." With the latter, the government lays down the principles of deep reforms. The region is confirmed in a leadership role in economic development with a clarification of responsibilities of local authorities, a transfer to the the Region of the competency of Economic Development to lead the development of two schemes with prescriptive value, the duty to negotiate with other local authorities including cities but the recognition of the superiority of the scheme elaborated by the Region in the event of disagreement, the increase in its response capabilities with the possibility to enter the capital of commercial companies etc..
As a result, the perimeter of future regions ( focus point of the other bill) so highly publicized aspect of the reform, will not hold our attention. But the preconditions for successful decentralization project and produce the expected effects in terms of competitiveness and employment.
For that purpose we will study the following topics:
• The extent of the economic competence
• The responsabilities of the territories
• The identity and participation of leading holders and resources
• The decreasing responsabilities of the state?
Economic competence: a too restrictive conception
When we observe strong European Regions is less the size (size of their population or area) which is surprising that their ability to act on all the factors that contribute to economic development, including the human factor. Training at all levels, higher and professional continuing education are part of their responsibilities. Similarly, the management of the labor market, in France, is a crumbled competence: There are many organizations but ultimately few advisors for unemployed.
From this point of view the bill would have been more daring. This is a broader set of responsibilities that should be recognized in the Region. For how to boost economic development without the ability to act on the skills of men and women who will impulse this development? Without trying to remove tension on certain qualifications? Without taking into account the capacities of all human resources in the region, especially its young people? Targeting businesses, the editor of the project adheres to a classic vision and outdated economic action.
Yet the French Regions (as European Regions), at the invitation of the European Commission, have made with the development of Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) great work of reflection and identification of their top priorities. In his summary of SRI, DATAR found that the regions, to increase the efficiency of innovation systems, had slightly open new perspectives, focusing on human capital, innovation management, territorial cooperation, etc.. Diagnoses showed that the level of human resources, mastery of skills (non-technological) were among the most important determinants of the ability to innovate.
Territories: build around them
The presentation of the draft law on territorial organisation recognises that regions will have to "support local economic development by deploying their action on coherent territories, taking into account the mobility of people between living areas and economic regions." Given direction is good because the company is just one component of an ecosystem and individual business assistance contributes only marginally to the future of a territory. Solidarity and productive interdependence are much more important. Ten years of work of the State and the Regions on the "Poles of Competitiveness" (Clusters made by companies, laboratories and universities committed together by a common strategy), have made these as a kind of common good. The methodology is known and shared by inclusion of the approach in an area, the importance of collaborative projects between companies and knowledge structures, entertainment networks, incentives for innovation, openness to international etc..
It should not stop there. Regions must continue this work of monitoring their territories, provide the means to detect ecosystems (clusters) emerging as those to reinforce or invent, territory by territory (suburbs included) and support them. It is in these clusters (in the broad sense) that ETI and SMEs will find resources to grow. This territorial dimension at the level which are defined the trajectories and economic changes must be clearly stated.
Identity and participation
Regions, as they are quite new institutions remain little known by the citizens. The success of decentralization will go through the invention of methods of participation and communication. Communication even more difficult as the regions have not, unlike other local authorities (county and towns), substantial investment budgets. And innovation policy is not as visible as building a new gymnasium. Regions should also strengthen their identity. This is a fundamental concept of democracy. Social forces have to be oncluded in this effort to build a project and a picture. This should lead us to rethink the role of regional economic, social and environmental committees (CESER), an issue that is not addressed in the bill projects. Several reasons argue in favor of a reform of this institution. As part of the planned decentralization, it seems difficult to continue to designate its members by the representative of the State. It could be suggested that the composition of the Boards be established differently for membership renewal: by category of socio economic forces ( Farmers, professionals, family associations, etc.) with a right for each to designate a personality that would Council member. This renewed CESER could accommodate within it a committee bringing together the social partners. This commission should be closely associated with the development of strategies for economic development of the region, including the regional scheme of economic development, innovation and internationalisation as created by the draft law on territorial organisation. Then be an actor involved in the transformation of the economy.
A real overhaul of the map of public power with a reduced state?
Last issue, the impact of the reform in terms of organization of the presence of public power in the territory: the State, Regions, public institutions of intercommunal cooperation (EPCI). Consequence of reducing the number of regions (provided by legislation), the demise of the departments and the rise of EPCI, the presence of public power will be significantly affected.
What about the State? This is the Prefect of the region that will become the cornerstone of public policy of the State. Guarantor of sovereign powers, he should ensure the link between the major national and territorial strategies. In the continuation of a process that began with the RGPP (general revision of public policies) and because of the transfer of responsibilities to the regions, the human resources of prefectures should decrease. Will this be so? This would be a good indicator of the reality of decentralization; would be further reducing the number of central departments of government (at national level) that would show the confidence of the State and its desire to erase the areas in the regions have to invest!
At the departmental level, the changes come from the disappearance of the department which should logically lead the disappearance of the prefect of the department. But before this occurs, the law gives him a task: to ensure good distribution on the county territory of the public services, and making him to be responsible for the elaboration of the scheme of accessibility of public services in association with the EPCI.
The disappearance of the community "department" paves the way for a reflection on the sub-regional organization. It offers unique opportunities (will they be captured?) for approximate the administrative and the economic and social map, maybe including the 1700 or living areas of 300 employment areas. Should at this last step imagine state representatives (prefects and sub-prefects) which would replace the counties prefects? And in the process, why not reform the mode of representation of regional governments in choosing the employment area (employment area) as a constituency for regional elections? And since intercommunal communities must reinforce, why not try to reconcile their perimeters with the levels of solidarity and organization of many public services that are living areas?
Paulette Pommier
07/08/2014