TOWN TWINNING AS A FORM OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE LIGHT OF THE DOMESTIC AND EUROPEAN LAW

Abstract

The term ‘town twinning’ and ‘twin cities’ was coined when municipalities (gminy) became active in the international arena. The precursors of the twinning movement were German and French communes which after World War II embarked on the task of bringing the two nations together. The twinning movement in its original form was primarily based on the exchange of the youths of both countries. Today, contacts between cities focus on economic and environmental cooperation, collaboration in the sphere of education and consolidation of activities fostering further development of partnership. International cooperation of municipalities, while an important factor in the development of local politics, is not satisfactorily regulated. Neither the national nor the EU legislation contains the term ‘twin cities’ in its legal vocabulary. Constitutions, executive acts, declarations and treaties set out the essence of local government and law, but fail to specify the rules of a local foreign policy. This aspect is largely left to the decision of municipalities, which clearly emphasises the principle of self-government. EU directives do not define any rigid framework of international cooperation of communes either, merely emphasising their role in the shaping of that policy. Consequently, the role of municipalities in the solving of contemporary civilisation problems has been highlighted in final declarations adopted at twin cities congresses held in recent years. The absence of a legal framework at a higher level does not only mean that local municipalities are not restricted from developing their local foreign policies, but it also opens up for them numerous possibilities of cooperation in any area of their choice.