Dr. Andreas Kiefer

Dr. Andreas Kiefer
Date and place of birth: Salzburg (AT), 6 October 1957
Andreas Kiefer was elected Secretary General of the Congress
on17 March 2010 and took office on 1 April 2010 for a 5-year mandate.
CONTACT
Council of Europe
Secretary General of the Congress
Avenue de l’Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel: +33 (0) 3 88 41 22 48
Fax: +33 (0) 3 88 41 37 47 27 51
andreas.kiefer@coe.int
http://www.coe.int/t/congress/fonctionnement/secretariat/default_EN.asp?mytabsmenu=2
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EDUCATION
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Andreas Kiefer studied Law and Economics at the Universities of Salzburg and Linz and holds
a doctorate of Law.
He completed professional training programmes in management, leadership, gender
mainstreaming, languages, IT and interpersonal skills development and is – in addition to his
German mother tongue - fluent in English and French.
WORK EXPERIENCE AND POSITIONS
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After his studies he worked as Chef de Cabinet of Land Salzburg's Vice-president and later
President Hans Katschthaler (1984 – 1995). Andreas Kiefer was Director of the European
Affairs Service of Land Salzburg regional government from 1996 until 2010, and has long
standing experience in staff management, implementation and monitoring of budgets as
well as in media relations.
He was the first national co-ordinator of the Austrian delegation to the Committee of the
Regions (1995 -1996) and established a swift system of sharing information within the
delegation and among the assistants, a method which is still applied today.
In terms of concrete cross-border co-operation, he played a key role in establishing the
EuRegio Salzburg - Berchtesgadener Land - Traunstein in 1995 with nearly 100
municipalities.
In the Council of Europe he has worked for all Congress members from Land Salzburg since
1995 –from different political backgrounds - and as common representative of the Austrian
Länder in the Congress working group 'Regions with legislative powers' since 1999.
Andreas Kiefer has been a member of the CoE's Committee of Experts on local and regional
government institutions and co-operation (LR-IC) and was elected vice-president in 2009. As
a contribution to the intergovernmental work of the Council of Europe he organized the first
CDLR workshop on local and regional democracy dedicated to the representation of regions
at national and European level on 1-2 December 2008 in Salzburg (Austria).
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From 2000 to 2009 he represented the Austrian Länder in the EU's Intergovernmental
Conferences (IGC) negotiating the Treaty on a Constitution for Europe and the Lisbon Treaty
at working level and served as Secretary General of the Conference of Presidents of Regions
with Legislative Powers (REGLEG) in 2003.
From 2006 to 2010 he was responsible for setting up the scheme for monitoring subsidiarity
and proportionality by the Länder.
At municipal level Andreas Kiefer served as chairman and member of municipal electoral
committees for municipal, regional, federal and European elections and initiated a citizens'
participation project to integrate new residents and to create a municipal mission
statement in the municipality of Kuchl (Dorferneuerung).
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION:
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He is a member of the authors’ network of the European Centre for Research on Federalism
(Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismusforschung) and a member of the board of the
Salzburg Institute for Education (Salzburger Bildungswerk)
RESEARCH
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Andreas Kiefer has been a speaker at a number of international conferences and has given
lectures at universities and post graduate courses.
He has published widely about local self government, regionalism, federalism, interregional
and cross-border co-operation, regions with legislative powers, the Austrian political
system, about the local and regional dimension in the Council of Europe and the Committee
of the Regions.
PUBLICATIONS
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Kiefer, Andreas: "Der Kongress der Gemeinden und Regionen: Grundlegende Reform und
neue Dynamik für Monitoring“ [The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities: Fundamental
reform and new dynamics for monitoring]. In: Europäisches Zentrum für FöderalismusForschung (ed.): Jahrbuch des Föderalismus 2012. Föderalismus, Subsidiarität und Regionen
in Europa. Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2012, pages 455-474. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Der Kongress der Gemeinden und Regionen Europas“ [The Congress of
Local and Regional Authorities]. In: Dr. Hans Lechner-Forschungsgesellschaft (ed.) Salzburg.
Geschichte & Politik. Megatrend Regionalismus. 21. Jahrgang, Heft 1/2, November 2011.
Salzburg; 2011; pages 91-95. German. (http://www.lechnerforschungsgesellschaft.at/zeitschrift/DieZeitschrift21-1-2.pdf)
Kiefer, Andreas: “Human Rights: Local and regional authorities in action.” In: Wolfgang
Benedek, Florence Benoît-Rohmer, Wolfram Karl, Manfred Nowak (eds.) European Yearbook
on Human Rights 2011. Vienna; 2011; pages 483-495. English.
Kiefer, Andreas: “Mehr Länderzusammenarbeit durch die Subsidiaritätskontrolle: das
arbeitsteilige Modell im Rahmen bestehender Kooperations- und Beteiligungsstrukturen”. In:
Rosner, Andreas and Bußjäger, Peter (eds.) Im Dienste der Länder – im Interesse des
Gesamtstaates: Festschrift 60 Jahre Verbindungsstelle der Bundesländer. Wien; 2011; pages
413-432. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: “European and external relations of the Austrian Länder with a specific
reference to Land Salzburg”. In: Amaral, Carlos E. Pacheco (ed.). Regional Autonomy and
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International Relations. New Dimensions of Multilateral Governance. Paris; 2011; pages 155 –
193. English.
Kiefer, Andreas: “European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) and Euroregional
Cooperation Grouping (ECG). Two legal instruments for cross-border cooperation”. In: Birte
Wassenberg, Joachim Beck (eds.) Living and Researching. Cross-Border Cooperation (Volume
3): The European dimension. Stuttgart; 2011; pages 99 – 122. English with summaries in
French and German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Preparazione al controllo di sussidiarietà previsto nel Trattato do Lisbona:
il modello di ripartizione delle competenze dei Länder austriaci”. In: EURAC research and
Institut für Föderalismus (eds.) EURAC book 59. Il Trattato di Lisbona e le Regioni: il
controllo di sussidiarietà. Bolzano, Innsbruck, Trento; 2010; pages 143-160. Italian with a
summary in German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Der Beginn einer besonderen Freundschaft“ [The beginning of a special
friendship]. In: Dr. Hans Lechner-Forschungsgesellschaft (ed.) Salzburg. Geschichte &
Politik. Begegnungen mit Josef Klaus. 20. Jahrgang, Heft 3/4, November 2010. Salzburg;
2010; pages 174-179. German. (http://www.lechnerforschungsgesellschaft.at/zeitschrift/DieZeitschrift20-3-4.pdf)
Kiefer, Andreas: "The regional dimension of the Council of Europe”. In: Council of Europe
Publishing and Renate Kicker (eds.). The Council of Europe – Pioneer and guarantor for
human rights and democracy. Strasbourg; April 2010; pages 117-124. English.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Die regionale Dimension des Europarats". In: Verein für Politik und
Zeitgeschichte in der Steiermark and Renate Kicker (eds.) politicum 108. Europarat: Pionier
und unverzichtbarer Garant für Menschenrechte und Demokratie. Graz; May 2009; pages
109-114. German. [See also above in English, published by Council of Europe Publishing]
Kiefer, Andreas and Schausberger, Franz: "Republic of Austria". In: Steytler, Nico (ed.),
Local Government and Metropolitan Regions in Federal Countries, Volume VI of the series A
Global Dialogue on Federalism of the Forum of Federations. Montreal & Kingston, London,
Ithaka, 2009; pages 37 - 74. English.
(http://www.forumfed.org/libdocs/Global_Dialogue/Book_6/GDV6_chap_2.pdf)
Kiefer, Andreas: "Republic of Austria". In: Michelmann, Hans (ed.) Foreign Relations in
Federal Countries, Volume V of the series A Global Dialogue on Federalism of the Forum of
Federations. Montreal & Kingston, London, Ithaka, 2009, pages 66-90. English.
(http://www.forumfed.org/libdocs/Global_Dialogue/Book_5/GDV5_chap_3.pdf)
Kiefer, Andreas: "Salzburg – Aktives Mitgestalten in Europa. 2007: Zwischenbilanz nach 13
Jahren EU-Mitgliedschaft" [Salzburg – active in co-shaping Europe. 2007: interim assessment
after 13 years of EU membership]. In: Dr. Hans Lechner-Forschungsgesellschaft (ed.)
Salzburg. Geschichte & Politik. 17. Jahrgang, Heft 3/4, Juli-Dezember 2007. Salzburg;
December 2007; pages 145-279. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Aktivitäten der Länder in europäischen Institutionen, Verbänden und
Netzwerken" [Activities of the Länder in European institutions, associations and networks],
In: Hammer, Stefan / Bussjäger, Peter (ed.): Außenbeziehungen im Bundesstaat,
Schriftenreihe des Instituts für Föderalismus, Band 105. Vienna, 2007, pages 69-85. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Regions and foreign/external relations within the framework of the
member states of the Council of Europe – experiences from Austria and with an aspect of
the relations to regions and institutions from EU countries." In: Council of Europe, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Economy, Policy and Law research Centre
(ed.): International and external economic links of the subjects of the Russian Federation.
Closing the Council of Europe project during 1994-2006. Moscow, 2007, pages 34-54 in
Russian and 102-129 in English.
Kiefer, Andreas: "The Contribution of the Regions with Legislative Competences to the
European Constitutional Process." In: Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE) (ed.):
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Occasional Papers 2/2007. The EU-Constitutional Treaty and the Regions of Europe.
Salzburg, edition pm, 2007, pages 165-206. English and German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Von der Philosophie zur praktischen Anwendung: Das
Subsidiaritätskontroll-Netzwerk des Ausschusses der Regionen" [From philosophy to
application: The subsidiarity network of the Committee of the Regions]. In: Gamper, Anna /
Bussjäger, Peter (ed.): Subsidiarität anwenden: Regionen, Staaten, Europäische Union. La
sussidiarietà applicata: Regioni, Stati, Unione Europea. Schriftenreihe des Instituts für
Föderalismus, Band 98. Vienna, 2006, pages 156-176. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Reform of Federalism in Austria". In: Council of Europe (ed.): The
constitutional status of the regions in the Russian Federation and in other European
Countries. The role of regional legislative bodies in strengthening "unity in diversity".
Proceedings of a conference of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe
(CLRAE) in Kazan, Tatarstan, on 11-12 July 2003. Studies and Texts No. 89. Strasbourg 2003,
pages 93-106 in English and pages 101-116 in the French version.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Gesetzgebende Regionalparlamente und ihr europäischer Verband: die
CALRE" [Regional Parliaments with Legislative Powers and their European Association:
CALRE]. In: Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung (ed.): Jahrbuch des
Föderalismus 2006. Föderalismus, Subsidiarität und Regionen in Europa. Baden-Baden:
Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2006, pages 606–629. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Der Verfassungsvertrag für Europa und die Vorbereitung auf seine
Anwendung: Initiativen von REG LEG im Jahr 2004" [The Constitutional Treaty for Europe
and the Preparation for its Implementation: Initiatives of REGLEG in 2004]. In: Europäisches
Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung (ed.): Jahrbuch des Föderalismus 2005. Föderalismus,
Subsidiarität und Regionen in Europa. Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2005, pages
607-619. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Informelle effektive interregionale Regierungszusammenarbeit: REG LEG—
die Konferenz der Präsidenten von Regionen mit Gesetzgebungsbefugnissen und ihre
Beiträge zur europäischen Verfassungsdiskussion 2000 bis 2003" [Informal effective
interregional intergovernmental co-operation: REG LEG – the Conference of Presidents of
Regions with Legislative Powers and their contributions to the European constitutional
debate 2000 – 2003]. In: Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung (ed.), Jahrbuch
des Föderalismus 2004 — Föderalismus, Subsidiarität und Regionen in Europa. Baden-Baden:
Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2004, pages 398-412. German
Kiefer, Andreas: "Die österreichischen Länder und die europäische Integration / Los estados
federales austríacos y la integración europea". [The Austrian Länder and European
Integration] In: Eusko Ikaskuntza (ed.) Azpilcueta. Cuadernos de derecho, nº 16. Donostia,
2001, pages 247-297 in Spanish and pages 298-347 in German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Aspekte der Europapolitik Österreichs". [Aspects of Austria's European
policy] In: Haedrich, Martina / Schmitt, Karl (ed.) Schillerhausgespräche 1999;
Schriftenreihe des Hellmuth-Loening-Zentrums für Staatswissenschaften Jena, Band 10.
Berlin, 2000, pages 135-170. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Die regionale Dimension in Europa – Institutionelle Entwicklungen und
Perspektiven im Europarat". [The regional dimension in Europe – Institutional developments
and perspectives in the Council of Europe] In: Salzburger Institut für Raumordnung und
Wohnen (ed.) SIR - Mitteilungen und Berichte 28/2000. Salzburg 2000, pages 35-44. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Euregios - Bürgernahe grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit."
[Euroregions – cross border co-operation close to the citizens] In: Salzburger Institut für
Raumordnung und Wohnen (ed.): SIR - Mitteilungen und Berichte 1 - 4, 1995. Salzburg 1995,
pages 25-38. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Die österreichischen Länder und Gemeinden im Ausschuss der Regionen."
Beitrag zum Forschungsprojekt der Bundesforschungsanstalt für Landeskunde und
Raumordnung, Bonn, zum Thema “Der Ausschuss der Regionen als Gremium regionaler und
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lokaler Interessensvertretungen”. ['The Austrian Länder and municipalities in the Committee
of the Regions'. Contribution to the research project of the German Federal Institute for
Landeskunde and Spatial Planning on "The Committee of the Regions as a body representing
the interests of regions and municipalities"] – with contributions of Franz Dollinger.
Salzburg, Bonn Mai 1995, German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Die Bundesstaatsreform im Jahr 1993. Von der 'Politischen Vereinbarung
über die Neuordnung des Bundesstaates' zu konkreten Verfassungsentwürfen des Bundes und
der Länder". [The reform of the federation in 1993. From the 'political agreement about the
reform of the federal system' to drafts of constitutional texts presented by the federation
and the Länder] In: Khol, Andreas / Ofner, Günther / Stirnemann, Alfred (ed.):
Österreichisches Jahrbuch für Politik 1993. Wien, München 1994, pages 413 - 439. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "EuRegio Salzburg - Berchtesgadener Land / Traunstein: 'Grenzenlose
Nachbarschaft'. Ein Projekt nachbarschaftlicher Zusammenarbeit im salzburgischbayerischen Grenzgebiet." [EuRegio Salzburg - Berchtesgadener Land / Traunstein:
'Neighbourhood without borders'. A project of co-operation at the border between Salzburg
and Bavaria] Salzburg Oktober 1994. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Länderrechte, Regionalismus und EG" [Responsibilities of Länder,
regionalism and the EC]. In: Andreas Khol, Günther Ofner, Alfred Stirnemann (ed..):
Österreichisches Jahrbuch für Politik 1992. Wien, München 1993, pages 155 - 181. German.
Kiefer, Andreas: "Salzburgs Mitwirkung in europäischen Regionalinstitutionen" [Participation
of Land Salzburg in European regional bodies]. In: Floimair, Roland (ed.): Die regionale
Außenpolitik des Landes Salzburg, Schriftenreihe des Landespressebüros. Serie Salzburg
Dokumentationen Nr. 108. Salzburg 1993, pages 147 - 176. German.
Editor of the series of publications of the European Affairs Office of the government of Land
Salzburg with more than 25 volumes. They are available at
http://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/se/europa/euservice/eu-publikationen.htm.
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