Harghita County Council maintains twinning relations with 13 regions in Hungary, 1 region in Italy, 1 region in Poland, 1 region in Armenia, 1 district in the Republic of Moldova, and 1 district in Ukraine. Besides our twinning relations our international relations are strengthened by memberships in international organizations, partnerships in project implementation, friendships, and last but not least promotion and partnerships with the institutions of the European Union.
Our international activities contribute to initiating and maintaining cooperative relations with foreign administrative institutions, participation in conferences, seminars, workshops, and professional meetings organized in the county and abroad to exchange information and expand partnerships, and maintaining economic, cultural, and other relations through exchange of experience and common interests and projects.
Our international relations provides:
- Promotion of local tourism and local products, thereby contributing to the attractions of foreign tourists and increasing the income of our local producers;
- Exchange of experience in attracting investors, and formation of economic partnerships to the common development of the regions;
- Implementation of several EU-funded projects, as well as projects financed by the Bethlen Gábor Fund, which besides the exchange of experience and good practices contributes to the formation of future partnerships and twinning cooperations;
- Representing the local challenges and proposals of Harghita County in the EU and international decision-makers in order to promote local development initiatives.
The international activities of Harghita County Council are managed by the International Relations Department within the Management Directorate.
The activities of the department include continuous collaboration with organizations at the European level, the institutions of the European Union, and the twinning communities, in order to initiate and implement common programs and projects.
- Since 2019 Harghita County Council has been a member of the Subsidiarity Monitoring Network of the Committee of the Regions (RegHubs- https://cor.europa.eu/en/our-work/Pages/network-of-regional-hubs.asp ), which ensures an opportunity to provide concrete suggestions and feedback on the implementation of EU regulations and programs at the local level. This is an excellent opportunity to influence the new directives and regulations for the period after 2020 and to send information about the experience of Harghita County, as well as local challenges and problems, to the decision-makers of the EU institutions.
- Harghita County Council has been a member of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) since 1993 and in 2019 we also started to join the European Alliance for Local Democracy (ALDA).
- Cooperation with embassies and consulates: promotion of local cultural, touristic and gastronomic heritage.
Memberships
RegHub – Subsidiarity Monitoring Network of the CoR
Since 2019, Harghita County Council has been a member of the Subsidiarity Monitoring Network of the Committee of the Regions (RegHub – RegHub Network), which provides the opportunity to submit concrete suggestions and feedback on the implementation of EU regulations and programmes at local level.
This offers an excellent opportunity to influence new directives and regulations, and to communicate the experience of Harghita County, as well as local challenges and problems, to EU decision-makers.
RegHub operates as a subgroup of the European Commission’s Fit for Future Platform (F4F). It contributes to the annual Fit for Future work programme by consulting regional hubs on relevant legislative texts under review by the European Commission. It also carries out targeted stakeholder consultations through the RegHub Network, makes the results available to rapporteurs, and promotes platform opinions within EU institutions.
Local consultations within RegHub
2025
Public Procurement Consultation
This consultation is part of the Commission’s targeted consultations and its results will contribute to the Commission’s evaluation.
RegHub Survey on CAP: Phase 3 Stakeholder Version
The consultation supports the CoR’s political work on the mid-term review of the CAP in 2024–2025.
2024
Consultation on the evaluation of ERDF, CF, JTF and ESF+ (2021–2027)
The results of this consultation will contribute to two opinions of the European Commission’s Fit for Future Platform, scheduled for adoption by the end of 2024.
Consultation on the regional dimension of the CAP Strategic Plans – Questionnaire 2: Implementation
Based on the survey, the following local needs and challenges were identified:
- The application process for young farmers is too bureaucratic.
- Increasing bureaucracy in grant applications.
- Damage caused by wild animals is not covered.
Documents:
2023
Consultation on the Digital Europe Programme
The results helped expand the evidence base of the related Fit for Future opinion adopted in November 2023.
Local needs identified:
- Digital transformation consultancy
- Software development and integration
- Cybersecurity
- Training and digital skills development
- Technical support and maintenance
Documents:
Consultation on the Future of the Green Deal
Local needs identified:
- Specific targets
- Clearer sectoral priorities
- Support for innovation
- Capacity building support
- Dedicated funding mechanisms
Documents:
Consultation on Public Procurement Directives
Local needs identified:
- Training for Green Public Procurement
- More practical green criteria
- Simplified procedures for socially responsible procurement
- Information campaigns
Documents:
2022
Consultation on the implementation of the European Interoperability Framework
Survey on the implementation of the End-of-life Vehicles Directive
2021
Consultation on electronic public procurement
Consultation: 21st Century Rules for 21st Century Infrastructure
2020
Online consultation of youth on the European Skills Agenda
Consultation on State aid and public procurement in the context of Covid-19
Local proposals identified:
- Easier access to support information
- Reduced bureaucracy
- Support for agriculture and food industries
- Flexible extension of procurement deadlines
Evaluation of CAP impact on rural development
Consultation on State Aid Rules
2019
Consultation on Cross-border Healthcare
Local proposals identified:
- Funding for communication and awareness
- Regular partner meetings
- Dedicated public administration staff
- Medical personnel training
- Long-term EU funding
- Clear cooperation strategy
Consultation on Public Procurement Directives
European Community of Practice on Partnership (ECoPP)
In 2022, Harghita County Council joined the European Community of Practice on Partnership (ECoPP) expert group established by the European Commission.
Our membership in this group is one of the results of the activities of the “virtual” representative office in Brussels and provides another opportunity to represent local interests.
Our aim is to draw the attention of the group members, and thus of the EU, to local challenges and needs formulated in relation to EU projects.
2025
The Compendium of Good Practices on Partnership
2024
Participation in Task Force II – Partnership knowledge and skills sharing
The aim of this task force is to develop a list of skills and knowledge needed for EU project applications.
Within the working group, we formulated the following proposals:
- A close partnership is needed between managing authorities, beneficiaries and stakeholders in order to achieve economic, territorial and social cohesion at EU level.
- EU funds and programmes should be developed based on real local needs and challenges, while respecting the principles of subsidiarity and the bottom-up approach.
- The level of competitiveness of less developed regions should be taken into account, otherwise these regions may no longer qualify as eligible beneficiaries for different funding opportunities.
- To ensure the effective use of EU funds and to compensate for knowledge and skills gaps in less developed regions, co-creation is needed, allowing managing authorities and stakeholders to jointly develop, implement and monitor EU policies, programmes and projects.
- Co-creation as a core principle of partnership would strengthen trust between partners and help reduce bureaucracy and unnecessary rules.
Participation in Task Force VII – Partnership in the next programming period 2028+
The group works on recommendations for Cohesion Policy in the future funding period (2028+) in order to ensure the comprehensive involvement of partners in programming and implementation, regardless of the implementation model chosen.
Within the working group, we highlighted the following important aspects regarding the partnership principle in Cohesion Policy after 2027:
- Close partnership between managing authorities, beneficiaries and stakeholders, ensuring that EU funds are developed based on real local needs and challenges.
- Co-creation as a tool for managing authorities and stakeholders to:
- jointly develop, implement and monitor EU funds;
- support multi-level knowledge sharing;
- compensate for knowledge and skills gaps in less developed regions;
- strengthen trust between partners;
- reduce bureaucracy.
- Increased participation of local and regional authorities in shaping EU funds, ensuring that:
- the principles of subsidiarity, place-based approach and bottom-up approach are taken into account;
- the level of competitiveness of less developed regions is considered, since neglecting this may result in these regions becoming ineligible for different funding opportunities.
2023
Participation in the Complementarity of Funds Sub-Group
At the beginning of the year, a consultation was prepared in Harghita County on local challenges and needs related to EU projects, in order to support the work of the ECoPP expert group.
Businesses, public institutions and associations identified the following challenges:
- excessive bureaucracy;
- unclear application guidelines;
- changes to application conditions during the call for proposals;
- lack of coordinated promotion in the languages of national minorities at Member State level.
They also identified the following types of support needed:
- legal advice;
- guidance through administrative procedures;
- information on funding opportunities;
- application writing support;
- business management advice;
- financial advice;
- help in developing good ideas and solutions.
Participation in the Stakeholder Capacity Building Sub-Group
Within the subgroup, we had the opportunity to formulate proposals for changes related to the European Code of Conduct for Partnership.
Our proposed changes included the following:
- We recommended stronger wording in several parts of the text, so that Member States and managing authorities pay greater attention to involving partners in the design of funding programmes, especially local authorities, in order to ensure that programmes reflect real local needs.
- Regarding managing authorities, we recommended strengthening institutional capacity in order to reduce bureaucracy, improve consultations on funding programmes, make funding more accessible to national minorities, and simplify application procedures.
- When drafting funding programmes, we recommended involving local and regional representatives so that programmes are aligned with real local needs and less developed regions are not left behind or excluded from some funding opportunities.
Our proposals were included in the document prepared by the subgroup and submitted to the European Commission.
Documents:
2022
Participation in the Complementarity of Funds Sub-Group
The main purpose of the task force was to select successful projects carried out by different actors and stakeholders from Member States, analyse them, and identify a set of good practices that could also be implemented in other Member States.
In this context, we promoted the Szekler Product Brand as a good practice.
Documents:
2021
We submitted our intention to participate in the European Community of Practice on Partnership (ECoPP) expert group established by the European Commission.
European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA)
Harghita County Council has been a member of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) since 2019.
Our membership provides the following opportunities:
- Priority access to opportunities to become project partners or join consortia applying for calls in various fields.
- Identification of relevant international partners for specific sectors.
- Support for partnership building and dissemination of members’ calls for partners.
- Support in relations with:
- EU institutions, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, agencies, and other international public and private institutions;
- local and regional authorities, as well as national governments across Europe;
- European officials, Members of the European Parliament, and other relevant European authorities.
- Promotion of members’ activities, initiatives and events at European level through ALDA communication channels.
- Regular updates through ALDA communication channels, especially the monthly newsletter.
- Access to ALDA and EU publications and information materials.
- Participation in international events such as conferences and seminars promoted by ALDA.
- Priority access to specialised training opportunities, including master classes on EU programmes and other training sessions.
- Participation in ALDA working groups.
Over the years, we have expressed our intention to join several project partnership opportunities.
In 2023, the SPUR – Social Postcovid Urban Revitalization project was selected for funding under the European Commission’s CERV programme. ALDA is the lead partner, while Harghita County Council participates as project partner.
At the same time, we promoted several partnership opportunities in fields such as sports, culture and other sectors among institutions in the county.
We also sought ALDA’s support in building partnerships and participated in ALDA events.
Through ALDA’s monthly newsletters, we regularly receive information about project opportunities, participation possibilities in events, and updates on various European policies and programmes that are important for representing local interests and strengthening the institution’s international activity.
Assembly of European Regions (AER)
Harghita County Council has been a member of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) since 1993.
The Assembly of European Regions is a pan-European organisation representing regions across Europe. It brings together 270 regions from 33 countries, as well as 16 interregional organisations.
Its main objectives include:
- Promoting the principle of subsidiarity and regional democracy.
- Increasing the political influence of regions within the European institutions.
- Supporting regions in the European development process.
- Facilitating interregional cooperation across Europe.
As a member, Harghita County Council has participated over the years in the activities of various working committees.
Together with European regions, we have also been involved in joint cooperation programmes aimed at promoting:
- exchange of experience;
- internship exchanges;
- organisation of conferences;
- organisation of seminars.
