AEM in brief

See also: [A word from our President]

See also: [Functioning of the AEM]

Aims :

• To bring together the elected representatives and the local or regional authorities of the European mountain areas and the organisations to which they belong ;
• To defend the interests of the mountain areas and populations ;
• To inform its members and public opinion of the problems and current events of direct or indirect interest for the mountain regions ;
• To promote a global, balanced policy for sustainable development of the European mountain areas.

Establishment :

• In 1991, at the initiative of the mountain intergroup in the European Parliament, the French National Association of the elected representatives of the mountain regions (ANEM), and the Italian National Union of mountain communes and communities (UNCEM).

Legal status :

• A non-governmental organisation, regulated by Alsace local legislation concerning associations, registered at the Strasbourg County Court. The AEM enjoys consultative status with the Council of Europe and observer status with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) and the Alpine Conference.

Members :

• The elected representatives (ranging from Mayor to Member of the European Parliament) of the territorial authorities of the mountain regions of Europe and the organisations to which they belong. Nine countries are represented within the AEM.

Structures and functioning :

• The General Meeting brings together all members. It elects an Executive Board from among its members. It can appoint specialised working groups. The Executive Board elects the President, General Secretary, Vice Presidents and Treasurer and holds several working meetings annually. The general office and the secretariat ensure the implementation of the decisions of the AEM authorities.

Financing :

• Financing is solely by means of membership fees: the annual budget for the year 2000 is around 130,000 €.

Recent policy statements:

• 1998 Memorandum for a European mountain policy ;
• 1999 Resolution concerning channels of communication and ground transport in mountain regions + Specific declaration for the Alps.
• 2000 Resolution of the General Meeting dated 8th June, 2000; general principles of a European mountain policy, community regional policy and territorial cohesion: draft European convention for the mountain areas.
• 2001 Resolution concerning the alpine convention and the draft European convention for the mountain areas.