Communauté urbaine
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| Communauté urbaine | |
|---|---|
| Name | Communauté urbaine |
| Type | Intercommunal structure |
| Country | France |
| Created | 1966 |
| Legal status | Établissement public de coopération intercommunale |
| Members | Multiple communes |
| Seat | Varies |
| Population | Varies |
| Area | Varies |
Communauté urbaine A communauté urbaine is a form of French intercommunal institution created to coordinate policy and services among multiple communes such as Nantes, Lille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, Grenoble and Saint-Étienne. Originating in the mid-20th century alongside reforms affecting Fourth Republic and Charles de Gaulle era policymaking, communautés urbaines operate under statutes enacted during the administrations of Georges Pompidou, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, François Mitterrand and subsequent legislatures including the Law of 1999 reforms championed by ministers allied with Lionel Jospin and Jean-Pierre Raffarin. They interact with institutions such as Prefectures of France, Conseil départemental, Assemblée nationale, and Conseil d'État.
Definition and legal status
By statute a communauté urbaine is an établissement public de coopération intercommunale created under national legislation like statutes passed in the French Parliament during sessions influenced by parties such as the Union for a Popular Movement and the Socialist Party (France). Its legal personality derives from laws advanced by ministers including Jacques Chaban-Delmas, Raymond Barre, Michel Debré and reviewed by bodies such as the Conseil constitutionnel and the Cour de cassation. The status distinguishes it from other entities such as Communauté de communes, Communauté d'agglomération, métropoles and Syndicat intercommunal, and intersects with directives from the European Union institutions like the European Commission and frameworks influenced by the Treaty of Maastricht and the Treaty of Lisbon.
History and evolution
The first communautés urbaines were established in the 1960s amid urban planning debates involving figures like Jean Monnet, Pierre Mendès France, André Malraux and municipalities such as Le Havre and Rouen; later expansions occurred after jurisprudence from the Conseil d'État clarified competencies alongside reforms during presidencies of Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande and Emmanuel Macron. Legislative milestones include laws debated in committees with parliamentarians from groups like Les Républicains and La République En Marche!, and were influenced by urban projects associated with mayors such as Antoine Pinay and Gaston Defferre. European funding programs such as those administered by the European Regional Development Fund and initiatives tied to Horizon 2020 affected investment strategies, while court rulings from the Conseil constitutionnel shaped fiscal autonomy.
Governance and administration
Governance normally rests with a deliberative council composed of representatives from member communes chosen according to rules set by the Code général des collectivités territoriales and local electoral laws debated in the Assemblée nationale and overseen by the Préfet de région. Executive functions are vested in a president and vice-presidents often drawn from major municipal figures such as notable mayors linked to parties like the Radical Party of the Left and the Centrist Alliance. Administrative oversight intersects with agencies including the Agence France Locale, regional chambers like the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, and regulators such as the Autorité de la concurrence when procurement disputes arise.
Competences and responsibilities
Competences typically cover urban planning instruments like Plan local d'urbanisme and transport systems including integration with public operators such as SNCF, RATP, Keolis and tramway projects exemplified by Alstom deliveries, as well as water services linked to utilities like Veolia and SUEZ. Responsibilities can extend to waste management contracted with firms like Paprec or regional agencies such as Agence de l'Eau, economic development tied to BPI France and tourism promotion collaborating with offices like Atout France. Social housing policies interact with institutions like Action Logement and laws influenced by ministers such as Julien Denormandie.
Financing and budget
Financing relies on local taxation instruments governed by law and fiscal frameworks debated in the Assemblée nationale and impacted by statutes from Ministry of Economy overseen by ministers such as Bruno Le Maire; revenue sources include local business taxes formerly known as Taxe professionnelle and replaced by mechanisms such as Contribution économique territoriale, grants from the Conseil régional and transfers from the State of France mediated by prefectural decrees. Budgets are audited by entities like the Cour des comptes, rely on borrowing through intermediaries such as Caisse des Dépôts and face oversight in disputes brought before administrative tribunals including the Tribunal administratif de Paris.
Notable examples and distribution
Prominent instances include intercommunal structures centered on Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Lille and Saint-Étienne, while reform trends converted some into métropoles as in the cases of Grand Lyon and Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence. Distribution patterns reflect urbanization influenced by projects tied to agencies like EPADESA in La Défense and regeneration schemes associated with Caisse des Dépôts and European initiatives such as URBAN Community Initiative.
Criticisms and debates
Critiques voiced by scholars affiliated with institutions such as Sciences Po, CNRS, Institut Montaigne and by political actors from parties like La France Insoumise target issues of democratic representation, fiscal opacity challenged in reports from the Cour des comptes, and competition with departmental bodies such as Conseil départemental leading to disputes arbitrated by the Conseil d'État. Debates involve alternatives proposed by think tanks including Terrae, policy recommendations from academics associated with Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and comparative studies referencing models like Greater London Authority, Berlin Senate, Municipality of Barcelona and City of Amsterdam.