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UNION OF MUNICIPALITIES OF THE MARMARA REGION
THE MARMARA REGION
The area of activity of the Union covers the Marmara Region which is Turkey’s most important region and a bridge between Europe and Asia. So the Union is the unique regional union of local authorities in the world which is active in two continents. Moreover, Istanbul, the centre of the union, is the only city having territory in both Europe and Asia.
Istanbul, a megacity with its 12,5 million inhabitants, is the most important city of the country and the centre of the Union. The Marmara Region with its total population of more than 20 million inhabitants is the economic and cultural centre of Turkey and represents 60% of the country’s economy. It is Turkey’s leading region from many aspects including industrial facilities, energy consumption, large transportation network and tourism incomes and has an above-average population density.
Our Union has 230 members and is active in 11 provinces around the Marmara Sea: Istanbul, Edirne, Kırklareli, Tekirdağ, Çanakkale, Kocaeli, Yalova, Sakarya, Bilecik, Bursa and Balıkesir.
The Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region is member of NALAS, Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South Eastern Europe. NALAS, whose secretariat is based in Skopje (Macedonia), brings together 13 National Associations which represent over 4000 local authorities directly elected by more than 80 million citizens of this region.
In 1982 the Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region and Arab Towns Organisation have concluded the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement.
UNION’S GOAL
The Union’s goal is to strengthen the local authorities and democracy through development of cooperation and solidarity among municipalities; to make efforts to establish among Turkish municipalities the concept of local government with democratic, participative, transparent and accountable nature and based on principles of individual rights and freedom.
UNION’S LEGAL BASE AND STATUS
The Unions of Local Authorities are public organisations with a corporate body established by the Constitution and the Law on Unions of Local Authorities. In areas indicated in the Union Statutes, the Union possesses the rights, authority and privileges held by municipalities. The Union is entitled to represent its members and to provide common services in areas where member municipalities vested authority in the Union.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNION
Municipalities in the provinces located in the Union’s (geographical) area of activity can become member of the Union after accepting decision of the Union Assembly taken upon municipal council’s decision for membership and acceptation of the Union’s Statutes. Membership to the Union is optional.
BRIEF HISTORY
The Union of Municipalities of The Marmara Region was established on April 25th, 1975. The headquarters of the Union was initially in İzmit. The General Assembly held on May 29th, 1977 decided to transfer the Union’s headquarters to Istanbul.
The Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region is Turkey’s oldest and most inclusive Union with regional status and is forerunner in such areas as development of a democratic local government movement in Turkey, advancement of municipal authority and improvement of municipal resources, environmental consciousness-raising among local authorities, solution of municipalities’ common problems through cooperation, establishment of metropolitan municipalities and representation of municipalities in international local authorities organisations.
UNION’S AREA OF ACTIVITY
The Union’s area of activity is described as follows by the Union’s Statutes and Strategic Plan (2006-2009):
* To establish cooperation and exchange of information among municipalities for sustainable and balanced development of the Marmara Region;
* To support and encourage municipal activities aiming to protect natural and cultural values of the Marmara Region;
* To strive to establish and generalize democratic, participative, transparent and accountable concept of local governance based on principles of individual rights and freedom;
* To provide permanent training services to the Union members’ elected municipal representatives and municipal staff on main issues regarding city planning and municipal governing;
* To realize activities and to provide consultancy aiming to develop member municipalities’ capacity for better municipal services to citizen;
* To work to elaborate the Union’s position on legal and administrative regulations concerning municipalities and to make necessary lobby work;
* To represent member municipalities in various national and international platforms; and to be their voice and protect their rights and interests;
* In context of integration process to the EU, to participate in and contribute to activities aiming to harmonize members with the EU Acquis.
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE
Union Assembly
The Union Assembly is the decision making organ of the Union. It consists of mayors and members elected by municipal councils of member municipalities, number of which is determined in the Union’s Statutes. The Union Assembly adjudicates strategic plan, performance program, budget, annual work program, annual activity report and final accounts. It takes general decisions in accordance with objectives of the Union. The term of office of members of the Union Assembly is 5 years, which is the general term of municipal councils.
Union Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is the Union’s executive and deliberative organ which takes executive decisions, watches over the implementation of annual work plan and budget in light of the Union’s Statutes and decisions of the Union Assembly. The Union Executive Committee is comprised of 7 members elected by the Union Assembly among its members.
President of the Union
The Union President is elected from among the mayors who are member of the Union Assembly. The President is elected for an initial 2-year term following local elections and then a subsequent 3-year term. He is the President of the Union Assembly and the Union Executive Committee. He is the highest administrator and representative of the Union. Mr Recep Altepe, Mayor of Bursa, is the current President of UMMR.
Organisation
The organisation of the Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region consists of Secretariat General and related units in accordance with permanent staff regulations. The Secretary General of the Union is appointed by the President of the Union. The Secretary General accomplishes the tasks of the Union on behalf of and under the directives and responsibility of the President of the Union, in accordance with the regulatory provisions, objectives and politics of the Union, its strategic plan and annual programs.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
TRAINING ACTIVITIES ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE
From the beginning of its foundation, the Union always paid utmost attention to the training and qualification needs of local decision makers and municipal staff. It has accumulated an important knowledge in the field of training for local governments and has developed an efficient system in this field. The Union’s training activities are based on two models functioning in parallel. These are regular training seminars on one side and the Local Governance Academy on the other.
Training Seminars
The training seminars of the Union are regularly provided from the very beginning of its history. They are organised several times every year, depending on the demand from the member municipalities. The seminars focus mainly on technical issues that require permanent training for municipal staff.
Local Governance Academy
The Local Governance Academy was established by the Union in 2005 in order to foster the development and generalisation of the modern municipal governing. The Academy aims to deliver high quality trainings to the top of the municipal management: mayors and deputy mayors, municipal councillors, municipal top managers. The trainings are given by university lecturers, researchers and local government experts. Besides the training centre in the Union headquarters, the Academy has opened its branch in Bursa/Yildirim and plans to open in the coming years four more branches in different parts of the Marmara Region. Next to municipal decision makers and workers, every person interested in local governance and similar matters can attend the trainings and seminars of the Local Governance Academy.
In order to enhance further training programs, the Local Governance Academy develops cooperation with similar training organisations abroad.
EU & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS CENTRE
The Union has missions to represent member municipalities in national and international platforms, to advocate their rights and interests and provide necessary support to member municipalities in the context of accession process to the European Union. In order to implement duties and therefore to act as bridge between municipalities and the world, the Union has established within its structure an “EU & International Relations Centre”. This work is carried out in coordination and cooperation with similar units of member municipalities.
The Centre has three main areas of activity:
International Relations
• Cooperation with national and international unions and platforms of local authorities;
• Monitoring the international organisations’ policies that have repercussions at local level;
• Twin-town relations;
European Union and accession process
• Monitoring the EU regional policies and having constant dialogue with the EU institutions;
• Information and support to municipalities in the context of EU accession process
Projects and cooperation
• Follow-up of EU Structural Funds, Pre-Accession Assistance and other international funds
• Development of multilateral cooperation projects.
OVERSEAS CONTACT AND STUDY PROGRAMS
Our Union organises time after time overseas contact and study visit programs with participations of member municipalities in order to better understand the municipal services abroad. The objective of these kinds of programs is to allow our member municipalities to follow closely to the developments in the field of municipal services and to give them the opportunity to meet their foreign colleagues. During these programs, they examine activities of the visited cities in various fields, such as transportation, infrastructure, waste management and environmental policy, protection of cultural and historical values, social services, urban participation and rights of citizen. In addition, these programs give opportunity of meeting foreign municipalities and lay the ground for establishing bilateral cooperation and twin-town relations.
TURKISH-GERMAN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Turkish-German Centre for Environmental Management was established within the UMMR following the approval of Turkish Ministry of Interior at November 21st, 2006, in the framework of the Technical Cooperation Agreement signed by Turkish and German governments. Its objective is to implement training and awareness raising activities in the field of environment all over Turkey and to foster public-private partnership. The working office of the Centre is in the headquarters of UMMR and its activities are focused on three main subjects:
• Waste Management,
• Water and Water Waste Management,
• Energy Management.
The Centre provides information for all private and public institutions; organises training programs; provides support in the phase of implementation of environmental projects.
Contact Us :
Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region
EMİNÖNÜ, Ragıp Gümüşpala Cad. No.4/1
Fatih 34134 İstanbul / Türkiye
Phone : +90 212 510 10 00
Fax : +90 212 520 85 58
e-mail : info@marmara.gov.tr
Website: www.marmara.gov.tr
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