tates of Jersey/Conseil Général de la Manche Partnership Agreement
Protocole de partenariat entre les Etats de Jersey et le Conseil Général de la Manche
The relationship between Jersey and Normandy dates back to 933 when the Channel Islands were annexed by William Longsword, Duke of Normandy. Much has changed since then, but the proximity of these two regions, their shared history and current interests lend themselves naturally to the creation of a formal, modern partnership.
In 1995, two years after the French consulate closed its doors in Jersey, such a partnership was established between the Bailiff’s Chambers and the Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie, which aimed to facilitate, promote and reinforce links between Jersey and Lower Normandy, in the areas of commerce, culture and education as well as at the political level. A major achievement of the Commission Amicale was the creation of La Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche, and of “La Maison de Jersey” (now known as the Bureau de Jersey) in Caen.
Due to changes in Jersey’s political structure and the transfer to ministerial government, the Commission Amicale now concentrates on a relationship at the politicial level. At the executive and operational levels a strong relationship has developed with the Conseil Général de la Manche, as the population and interests of the Department mirror those of Jersey.
In an effort to formalise, develop and strengthen this new working relationship, the States of Jersey and the Conseil Général de la Manche approved the creation of “working groups” to determine and implement areas of partnership. Headed by elected officials from both parties, the work is carried out by civil servants drawn from administrative departments, Chambers of Commerce and representatives of other institutions as appropriate.
An inaugural meeting was held in Granville early in 2006, and the first official plenary session was held in September of that year.
The scope and success of these working groups since then has led us to create this framework document which sets out the areas of common interest and the ways in which the States of Jersey and the Conseil Général de la Manche hope to continue to work together on common initiatives.
The Strategic Importance of the Relationship
L’Importance stratégique des relations entre Jersey et La Manche
The close historical and cultural ties are the foundation of our partnership, as are our shared interests and geographical location. We will enhance our relationship and strengthen our contacts at the political and officer levels in order to:
- Advance the economic prosperity of our territories and encourage commercial initiatives between them;
- Actively promote tourism towards our respective regions given our close geographical proximity;
- Foster closer links between the people of Jersey and La Manche through Educational, Sport and Cultural initiatives;
- Deepen our cooperation in affairs relating to the Environment including energy, waste and use of maritime resources.
Strengthening dialogue and contacts at the political and officer levels
Renforcer le dialogue et les contacts au niveau politique et opérationnel
While the internal and external pressures faced by Jersey and La Manche may differ, particularly relating to our respective positions regarding the European Union, there are areas of common ground which may be benefitted by our mutual experiences. We will actively strengthen our contacts at the political and officer levels by ensuring direct and timely contacts, and to implement promptly and effectively the decisions taken at these meetings. This intensified dialogue will allow a more strategic, sustained and coherent approach to issues affecting Jersey and La Manche involving an increasingly wide range of sectors. This dialogue will be conducted at many different levels, and will extend to areas beyond trade and maritime affairs.
As well, meetings can be convened at any time by the working groups outside of the plenary sessions to discuss specific and/or technical matters. A summary of the content and the outcome of these meetings should be submitted to the Bureau de Jersey and the Maison de la Normandie.
In order to manage this formal relationship effectively and to identify areas of potential cooperation, the States of Jersey and the Conseil Général de la Manche will:
- Make full use of opportunities for contacts between elected officials within the States of Jersey and their counterparts at the Conseil Général on matters of mutual relevance;
- Hold a meeting of our Working Groups (first established in 2006) on an annual basis to exchange ideas and foster our working relationship;
- Make full use of the Bureau de Jersey (Caen) and the Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche (Saint Helier) to identify new areas of cooperation and to assist officers in implementing the decisions taken at the political level.
I. Advance the economic prosperity of our territories and encourage commercial initiatives between them
Promouvoir la prospérité écnonomique de nos territoires et encourager les initiatives commerciales
Jersey and La Manche are natural trading and investment partners. We are committed to the promotion of economic growth and prosperity in our regions, and we recognise that we have a role to play in encouraging trade links between them.
As a result, the States of Jersey and the Conseil Général de la Manche agree to work together wherever possible and to the extent that existing laws and treaties allow and will:
- Encourage contacts with customs authorities to facilitate imports and exports through our ports;
- Provide assistance in organising trade missions to identify potential business partners on both sides of the Channel waters;
- Encourage mutual growth of the marine leisure industry; and
- Facilitate maritime links, both passenger and freight.
II. Actively promote tourism towards our respective regions given our close geographical proximity
Promouvoir le tourisme dans nos régions, en vue de notre proximité géographique
The close proximity between Jersey and La Manche provides opportunities for direct promotion in the areas of marketing and joint ventures.
Our key aims for cooperation in this sector include:
- Exchanging information on marketing plans and events calendars;
- Arranging familiarisation tours for tour operators working in the respective territories and fostering direct links between them;
- Encouraging marine leisure tourism, for example yacht visits to marinas;
- Providing promotional opportunities in airports, harbours and on roadways;
- Promoting and funding initiatives for various events around a common theme, such as boat shows.
III. Foster closer links between the people of Jersey and La Manche through Educational, Sport and Cultural initiatives;
Favoriser les contacts entre les habitants de Jersey et de la Manche par des initiatives dans le domaine de l’Education, du Sport et de la Culture
Our long-standing cultural, linguistic and traditional links have been challenged by events of the last century and we are keen to rediscover these and use them as a way to build bridges between our communities.
A number of twinning initiatives already exist and have done for many years, and we hope that the relationships enjoyed by the Jersey parishes and their twin communities in la Manche endure for years to come.
We need to support these existing contacts and to seek new ways to foster links between our communities by:
- Developing school exchanges, and encouraging technology-based communication such as video-conferencing;
- Seeking opportunities for cooperation in other areas such as higher education;
- Facilitating cooperation and marketing initiatives between our museums, heritage sites and cultural associations;
- Promoting bilingual services at sites frequently visited by tourists coming from Jersey or La Manche;
- Increasing participation in and promoting of sporting events organised by each region.
IV. Further develop our cooperation in affairs relating to the Environment including energy, waste and use of maritime resources
Déveloper notre cooperation en matières relatives à l’Environement, notamment en énergie, le traitement des déchets et la gestion des ressources maritimes
Jersey and La Manche recognise the importance of communication and cooperation on a wide range of environmental issues common to our territories, and we have agreed to the following:
- Maintain the open and transparent dialogue on matters concerning the provision of energy, such as the creation of a new European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) at the Flamanville nuclear station as well as any developments regarding other energy production matters;
- Continue to build partnership opportunities in the areas of contingency planning and emergency preparedness;
- Examine opportunities for shared initiatives in the area of waste management and recycling in particular;
- Share knowledge on relevant research and development issues relating to the protection of our coastlines.
Terms of Agreement
Modalités de l’Accord
Areas of cooperation are not restricted to those outlined in the present agreement and we envisage a wider range of initiatives as our relationship develops.
Both parties will encourage and facilitate contact between local authorities, organisations and associations that wish to establish further links between our territories. This partnership agreement implies a cooperation that extends beyond our governmental jurisdictions, and renders accessible a network of contacts, resources and information beneficial to the realisation of our shared goals.
Each year we will establish a work programme which will define our common objectives, and evaluate the progress on projects in the development stage.
Costs incurred for transportation will be financed by the travelling delegation; however the receiving delegation will finance transport on the ground as well as meals, and any rental or other fees incurred.
Any exchange of reports and/or correspondence shall be drafted in the native language of the writer.
The present agreement comes into effect on the date that it is signed. Official versions of this document exist in French and in English, each bearing the same weight.
Signed in duplicate in PARIS, on 5 December 2008,
Jean-François LEGRAND, Senator Frank WALKER, Senator
President, Conseil Général de la Manche Chief Minister, States of Jersey
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