Governing bodies

EUSALP's Governing Bodies are represented with the General Assembly and the Executive Board. All together they play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Alpine region.

EUSALP General Assembly

The General Assembly stands as the primary legislative body, bringing together representatives from our member states to deliberate on key policies, formulate strategies, and foster cooperation for sustainable development and prosperity.

The General Assembly (GA) should mainly be responsible for laying down the general political guidelines for the Strategy. Furthermore, the General Assembly has the possibility of organizing ministerial meetings in order to create the necessary political awareness for the Strategy.

Annually, the General Assembly can meet in an extended format, open to all relevant stakeholders (Annual Forum).

Read the Brdo Joint Statement

MISSION

By endorsing Action Group Leaders, the GA ensures that competent and adept guidance is secured for the effective implementation of the strategy. Furthermore, the GA takes charge of the EUSALP presidency succession according to the rotating mechanism approved at the 2022 General assembly meeting. This seamless process of leadership succession guarantees continuity, injecting fresh perspectives into the EUSALP's endeavors. In conclusion, the General Assembly represents an eminent cornerstone of the European Union Strategy for the Alpine Region's governance structure. With its overarching mission to shape political guidelines, engage stakeholders, oversee leadership, and promote inclusivity.

RESULTS

POLITICAL DECLARATION “SUSTAINABLE LAND USE AND SOIL PROTECTION” : Soils face specific challenges in the Alpine region, such as limited settlement areas and intensive land use in many of the valley floors, considerable pressure on sensitive ecosystems.

EUSALP Executive Board

Concerning this level of governance, the representatives of States and Regions participating in the EUSALP have agreed in the Milan Declaration to put in place ‘a standing Executive Board in charge of overseeing the implementation of the EUSALP Action Plan, formed by representatives of the States and Regions’. [...]

EUSALP National Coordinators

National Coordinators serve as liaisons between different administrative bodies involved in the Strategy's thematic areas within their states or regions. They also interact with the authorities responsible for implementing relevant European, national, and regional programs. This coordination role ensures that different levels of governance and program implementation are effectively integrated with the Strategy's objectives.

COMPOSITION & MISSION

Historically, National Coordinators often hail from Ministries of Foreign Affairs or Prime Minister Services. These positions provide a comprehensive overview of the state or region they represent, aiding in the broader strategic planning and implementation.

Additionally, sharing the role of National Coordinator with a ministry that has direct responsibility for the operational implementation of sectoral and territorial policies has proven to be a good practice. This dual-role approach can strengthen the alignment between national policies and the EUSALP's broader goals.

By sharing their responsibilities with ministries directly responsible for operationalizing sectoral and territorial policies, they unlock the untapped potential of data-driven decision-making. This dynamic synergy empowers National Coordinators to navigate the dynamic landscape of governance and policy with unparalleled precision, achieving an unparalleled harmony between national policies and the panoramic aspirations of the EUSALP

WORKING PRINCIPLE

National Coordinators, coming either from the national or regional level, represent the position of their respective countries, while looking at the same time for convergent opinions and decisions that will facilitate the implementation of the Strategy.

  • They should be duly empowered by their governments (at national and/or regional level, depending on competencies in each country)
  • They play a major role coordinating and supporting the design and implementation of macro-regional strategies and encouraging stakeholders’ involvement
  • They should liaise with the administrations participating in the thematic areas covered by the Strategy in their State/Region as well as with the managing authorities responsible for the implementation of the relevant European and national/regional programs.

If you want to know more or are curious about the implementation of the strategy within your Alpine territory, the National Coordinators can give you insights.

The EUSALP Board of Action Group Leaders (BAGL)

Composed by all Action Group leading institutions, the EUSALP Board of Action Group Leaders (BAGL) is meant as a tool to supporting official EUSALP bodies.

The Board of Action Group Leaders aim at ensuring:

  • Horizontal coherence among AGs tackling all policy fields
  • Systematic steering of EUSALP implementation process and a smooth vertical interface to all levels of EUSALP governance model, especially between coordination level (EB) and implementation level (AGs).

The BAGL do not produce deliverables as such but somehow it serves as an engine room that prepare strategic developments of the different part of the projects. Particularly, it prepares the work design of several Work Packages, especially when it comes to cross-AG activities.

The BAGL is covering all objectives of the Action Plan; it focuses on coordination of working methods and deals with internal governance issues. Furthermore, the BAGL addresses cross-cutting issues to ensure a more inclusive Alpine development.

WORKING PRINCIPLES

The Board of Action Group Leaders:

  • Meets twice a year (whenever possible back-to-back with a meeting of the EB).
  • Is meant to be an EUSALP internal coordination unit, not as a decision-making body (no being part of the official EUSALP governance model).

 

  • May have two formats:
    • Coordination sessions will deal with internal governance issues and will aim at the harmonization of working methods.
    • Thematic sessions will focus on cross-sectoral thematic issues to develop synergies and possible joint activities or manage conflicts.

 

TASKS

  • Supporting cooperation between AGL and with the EB by ensuring flow of information between AGs and to/from the EB and by harmonizing procedures especially.
  • Coordinating developed project criteria in order to strengthen comparability, equal treatment and smart external perception (e.g. via funding programmes).
  • Facilitating dialogue between EB and AGs by developing decision support documents e.g. for reporting routines from AGs to EB.
  • Raising specific potential for a better cross-sectoral integration by identifying thematic synergies and joint initiatives.
  • Solving conflicting interests (e.g. of single projects) and provide solutions for conflict management.
  • Better harmonizing work plans of single AGs (e.g. time-lines, milestones) and provide information e.g. for the EUSALP Knowledge Platform and web-page.

The EUSALP Youth Council: 

The EUSALP Youth Council provides a platform for institutional involvement of young people in all EUSALP bodies to make sure that their ideas and viewpoints are heard and considered.

It allows young participants, thanks to a legitimate position due to the official nature of their mandate, to discuss the objectives of the global EUSALP strategy and to contribute ideas. 

Discover more about the Youth Coucil.