Representation:
There are public representative bodies of local and regional authorities (LRAs):
Then, there also are private associations of LRAs, which are sometimes conferred a specific role in consultation with and participation by the law:
Information: During the legislative process, information is provided to the LRAs to the extent that information is published on the Parliament's website.
Consultation: The State consults LRAs on acts having a regional/local impact via the State-Regions Conference and the State-Cities and Local Autonomies Conference.
Coordination: The prefect represents the central Government within the Province. The prefect is responsible for law and order and urgent measures; (s)he also acts as a coordinator between the State, the Regions, the Provinces and the Municipalities[1].
The State – Regions Conference fosters cooperation between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces by conveying the views of the Conference of the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces to the State.[2]. It is also associated in the devolution process.
The Union of Italian Provinces ensures coordination between the Provinces and the State.
The State-Cities and Local Autonomies Conference[3] is in charge of the coordination between the State and LRAs, as well as the monitoring of policies which may have an impact on the LRAs' competences. It cooperates with UPI, ANCI, as well as UNCEM and holds joint meetings with the Conference of the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces on matters of common interest[4].
A Joint Conference[5] (Conferenza unificata) puts together the State-Region Conference and the State-Cities and Local Autonomies Conference.[6] Its overall mission is to foster cooperation between the State and all the LRAs. It is competent in cases where all levels of governance are called upon to express themselves on the same issue.[7]
Horizontal coordination exists at all levels of governance and is ensured through CRPA, UPI, ANCI, and UNCEM.
The different levels of governance also coordinate during the EU decision-making process[8].
In case an EU act comes under regional or local competence, the central Government transfers it to the CRPA and to the State-Cities and Local Autonomies Conference, respectively. The State-Cities and Local Autonomies Conference likewise transfers the act to the associations of local authorities. In turn, the observations of the Conferences are transferred to the central Government for the formulation of the Italian position to be presented in the EU Council. Moreover, regional representatives and local experts may be invited to the Government's European Affairs Department (Dipartimento per le politiche europee) meetings.
A specific mechanism exists for regional opinions to be taken into account during the EU legislative process. EU proposals are transmitted to the CRPA, the Conference of the Presidents of the Assembly of Regional Councils and of Autonomous Provinces and to the presidents of the regional executive committees and of the regional councils, which have twenty days to submit their comments to the central Government. In case of EU legislation of importance for the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, or at the request of one or more Regions or Autonomous Provinces, the Government convenes the State-Region Conference to reach a common position within twenty days (after which – or in case of urgency – the government can proceed). If the State-Region Conference so requests, the Government undertakes reservation for 20 days not to express an opinion in the EU Council.
[1] Ministry for Home Affairs , Governo sul territorio: le Prefetture
[2] Ministry for Home Affairs, Conferenza Stato-Regioni
[3] Established with DPCM 2 July 1996 (Official Gazette n. 21, 27 January 1997) and regulated by the Legislative Decree 281/1997 (Official Gazette n. 202, 30 August 1997).
[4] Ministry for Home Affairs, Conferenza Stato-città ed autonomie locali – le funzioni
[5] Established by the Legislative Decree 281/1997 (Official Gazette n. 202, 30 August 1997), under Article 9 of Law 59/1997 (Official Gazette n. 63, 17 March 1997).
[6] Ministry for Home Affairs, Conferenza unificata
[7] Italian Government, Conferenza unificata – le funzioni
[8] Legge 4 febbraio 2005, n. 11 "Norme generali sulla partecipazione dell'Italia al processo normativo dell'Unione europea e sulle procedure di esecuzione degli obblighi comunitari" (G.U. n. 37 del 15 febbraio 2005) [Law 11/2005 “General rules on Italy's participation in the regulatory process of the European Union and on the procedures for implementing community obligations"], Articles 5 and 6.
