Operator of the Program

Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ) is responsible for the operation of the Best Practices of Local Governments Program in Hungary.

The philosophy of TÖOSZ

The basic philosophy of the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ) is decisively different from the other interest-representing associations of local authorities in Hungary in that it puts an emphasis on the general and uniform interest-representation of all types and sizes of local authorities (villages, towns, towns with county rank, counties). The Association also takes into consideration the fact that the interests of the different types of local governments may vary related to the same issue, for this reason there is a possibility to operate separate chambers for villages, towns and counties within the uniform organization of the Association. Apart from its leading organs, the interest-representative work of TÖOSZ is supported by the county departments, councillors responsible for different fields of expertise, Women Mayors’ Department and Public Administrational Professional Section. TÖOSZ is an independent, self-sustainable organization. All types of local authorities may become members of TÖOSZ that respect the principles of voluntarism, equality of rights among members, solidarity, efforts towards consensus and common burden-bearing, orientation towards the future, efforts towards professionalism, pragmatism in a good sense, the party-neutrality of the Association and wish to cooperate in a democratic way in order to attain these above defined goals. The correctness of the basic philosophy of TÖOSZ is proved by the fact that in the course of its 25 – year - long history, TÖOSZ as a professional and interest-representing organization significantly contributed to the acquisition of the democratic exercise of power, the monitoring of the central power and government in place, the strengthening of communal and local resources, the improvement of the prestige of the civil sphere, the extension of Hungarian and international partnership contacts and networks to organizations and local communities. TÖOSZ is a cooperative and intermediating manifestation form of social capital, the promoter of the extending and strengthening of local autonomy, the organized actor and representative of the Hungarian local governance.

The advantages of TÖOSZ membership TÖOSZ is an independent, politically neutral, interest-representative organization that continuously represents local government interests vis-á-vis the central government and its efforts, it is a professional organization that is ready for cooperation and through its partnership contacts possesses up-to-date information concerning the local government sphere which it shares with its members.

Through its TÖOSZ membership, the effected local government becomes a 8 TÖOSZ Programmes providing help for local governments – with the support of the Council of Europe – 9 cooperative professional organization that is able to provide well-founded, adequate answers to practical questions TÖOSZ finances its activities from membership fees provided by members and has a tendency towards receiving financing more and more from grants acquired through tenders, call for proposals.

TÖOSZ services are extended on a continuous basis, the most important ones and the most preferred ones by the members are the following:

• Local Government Information Line: our legal experts are at the disposal of our members in the case of all legal issues related to local authorities;
• International relations: support of cooperation with local authorities from other countries, partner-search for town twinning activities or for grant applications, common projects;
• Conferences, study trips: TÖOSZ organises several events or participates as a co-organiser in various initiatives;
• Mayors’ Academy: organization of our training programmes for mayors and elected representatives;
• Local Government Best Practices: competition, through its organization the creation of a knowledge database of good experiences for helping peer-learning;
• Search for good municipal solutions, examples, their presentation and proposal to others: Applied best examples are published and disseminated in the JÓTÁR publications of TÖOSZ; The Mayor, Notary, municipal employees are provided with the opportunity to personally participate in professional programmes.
• Management of a Local Government Professional Library: local government leaders from all over the country are provided with the opportunity to meet and have discussions and negotiations at the premises of TÖOSZ.
• e-Newsletter: updated information is sent to our members in an electronic way;
• Website: all our news, electronic documents and significant databases may be reached at our website; www.toosz.hu
• ÖNkormányzat (Local Government) newspaper: It is our quarterly in which we have been informing the representatives of the local government sphere on the most important issues, events since 1991.
• Providing opinions on the proposals of economic actors: we serve as an intermediary between economic actors and the local governments and inform member local governments on service offers as well as reach a discount for them in case of purchase,
• Proceeding in individual issues that represent a general problem in the local government sphere. TÖOSZ undertakes its activities through complex network activities in which through their personal activities the leaders of the member local governments and their representatives may become creative developers and shapers of the Hungarian local government system.

Contact info:

Települési Önkormányzatok Országos Szövetsége (TÖOSZ)
Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities
H-1071 Budapest, Damjanich u. 44.

Tel.: +36 1 322 38 43, +36 1 322 66 73
Fax.: +36 1 322 74 07, +36 1 413 04 82
e-mail: toosz@toosz.hu, balla@toosz.hu
web: www.toosz.hu