Implementing Regulations for the Act of 23 janvier 2007 on the Integration of Foreigners and the Prevention of Racism (RLIEPR) - Gender-Inclusive Language (RLIEPR)

1. Any designation of a person, status, or function in this regulation refers equally to a man or a woman.

1. The Cantonal Consultative Chamber for Immigrants (hereinafter: the Chamber), appointed by the Council of State, is composed of

a. a president;

b. a vice-president, chosen by the members of the Chamber from among the representatives of the foreign population;

c. ten to fifteen representatives of foreign communities or collectivities. Account shall be taken of their size and specific needs;

d. two to five representatives of local consultative commissions;

e. three representatives of the communes, at least one of whom shall be from a commune that has appointed an integration delegate;

f. one person with particular expertise in preventing racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia;

g. the coordinator for the integration of foreign nationals and the prevention of racism (hereinafter: the coordinator).

2. Its members are appointed ad personam by the Council of State for the duration of the legislative period.

3. In the event of a vacancy, the seat shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of this article.

1. Within six months following its inauguration, the chamber shall adopt its work program for the duration of the legislature, defining its objectives, actions, and timetable. It shall consult with the Council of State before adopting its program.

2. All members of the chamber are bound by the content of this program.

3. The chamber reports to the Council of State on the implementation status of its program within the framework of the annual report of its activities.

1. The chamber may designate working groups composed of several of its members or third parties. These working groups examine specific issues related to integration or the prevention of racism. They present the results of their examination in the form of reports addressed to the chamber.

2. The chamber, its bureau, or its working groups have the option to engage in external collaboration and hear from individuals of their choosing.

1. The chamber includes a board of three members: the president, the vice-president, and the coordinator.

2. Upon appointment, the board prepares the draft work program of the chamber for the legislative session. Furthermore, it is empowered to manage current affairs and urgent measures that need to be undertaken before the next meeting of the consultative chamber. These latter measures are submitted for the chamber’s approval at its next session.

1. The chamber's secretariat is managed by the coordinator's office.

1. The chamber meets in plenary session at least three times a year. It is convened by the president. In the absence of the president, the vice-president replaces them, and if unavailable, the coordinator does so.

2. The chamber can validly deliberate with the presence of at least one-third of its members. Decisions are made by a simple majority of the members present. In the event of a tie, the president or, in their absence, the presiding officer, casts the deciding vote.

1. The chamber may inform the public of its activities. It shall inform the Council of State thereof beforehand.

2. All proposals made by the chamber are transmitted to the department responsible for the integration of foreigners and the prevention of racism (hereinafter: the department) [D] for information.

3. The chamber is, in principle, consulted on proposed significant legislative or regulatory amendments affecting the integration of foreigners or the prevention of racism in the canton, submitted for government decision. Its positions are attached to the proposal of the Council of State. They may only be communicated after the publication of the decision of the Council of State.

1. The chamber may take up matters of its own accord or be seized by the Council of State, the department, or the services with general questions related to the integration of foreigners and the prevention of racism.

2. The chamber does not handle individual cases.

1. The members of the chamber, including the president, are compensated in accordance with the provisions of the decree of October 19, 1977, concerning commissions [E].

2. Third parties who do not represent a department or service of the State and who participate in the internal working groups (art. 4) may be compensated.

1. The coordinator is responsible for contact with the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) concerning integration issues as defined in Article 57 of the LEtr [A].

2. In this capacity, the coordinator supervises the use of federal integration grants awarded under the federal legislation on foreigners and asylum [F], as well as the credits granted by the Grand Council for this task.

3. As part of his duties, he consults the relevant services and departments. The provisions of the March 7, 2006 law on assistance to asylum seekers and other categories of foreigners (LARA) [G] are reserved.

1. The coordinator may establish the necessary contacts with federal, cantonal, and communal administrative services, as well as with any other authority or interested person.

2. The coordinator regularly informs the chamber of their activities.

1. Associations, groups, or institutions may benefit from financial aid for activities promoting the integration of foreign nationals and the prevention of racism, as described in Article 15 LIEPR [C], subject to the following conditions

1. the performance agreement

- the aforementioned organizations may be financed for the tasks they perform in this area

- the objectives to be achieved, the methods, the planned measures, and the manner of evaluating them are defined in an agreement concluded with the department

2. the integration and racism prevention project

- the project description specifies the purpose, concept, means and methods used, the persons concerned, and the organization responsible for the project

- the project authors must seek complementarities and possible collaborations with other institutions.

2. Applications for financial aid for performance agreements or integration projects must be addressed to the coordinator.

3. The Head of Department, after prior notice from the coordinator, shall rule on applications for financial aid.

1. The department responsible for matters of integration of foreigners and the prevention of racism is tasked with the implementation of this regulation, which comes into force on January 1, 2008.