Gemeindeverband

Gemeindeverband (German: [ɡəˈmaɪ̯ndəfɛɐ̯ˌbant] ^ⓘ) is a union of at least two municipalities (German: Gemeinde) in Germany to form a Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts (statutory corporation) with the purpose to exercise the powers of self-government at a larger scale, while maintaining autonomy of its members.

Administrative divisions of Germany (clickable image)

The word is mentioned multiple times in the German constitution (German: Grundgesetz),^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]} but without an exact definition.

The States of Germany have slightly different kinds of a Gemeindeverband:

Gemeindeverbände unterhalb der Kreisebene (collective municipalities) to allow direct co-operation of municipalities:

• Gemeindeverwaltungsverband in Baden-Württemberg
• Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in Bavaria
• Amt in Brandenburg
• Amt in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• Samtgemeinde in Lower Saxony
• Verbandsgemeinde in Rhineland-Palatinate
• Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in Saxony
• Verwaltungsverband in Saxony
• Verbandsgemeinde in Saxony-Anhalt
• Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in Saxony-Anhalt
• Amt in Schleswig-Holstein
• Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in Thuringia

Gemeindeverbände oberhalb der Kreisebene to allow direct co-operation of districts (Landkreis), commonly summarised as higher municipal association (German: Höherer Kommunalverband:

• Bezirk in Bavaria
• Bezirksverband Pfalz in Rhineland-Palatinate
• Landschaftsverband in North Rhine-Westphalia
• Landschaftsverband in Lower Saxony

References

1. Art. 28 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
2. Art. 84 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
3. Art. 85 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
4. Art. 91e Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
5. Art. 93 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
6. Art. 104b Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
7. Art. 105 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
8. Art. 106 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
9. Art. 107 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
10. Art. 108 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
11. Art. 115c Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
12. Art. 120 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
13. Art. 134 Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]
14. Art. 135a Grundgesetz (GG) [Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany]