The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe welcomes the simultaneous signature and ratification of the European Charter of Local Self-Government by the Principality of Monaco on 10 January 2013. This text will come into force in respect of Monaco on 1 May 2013. Thus the Principality has joined the 45 Council of Europe countries which have already signed this international treaty.
The President of the Congress, Herwig Van Staa (Austria, EPP/ECC), pointed out that the ratification of the Charter by the Principality of Monaco illustrates the importance of the principles laid down in that treaty, which applies irrespective of a State's size. This ratification, moreover, comes just a short time after ratification by the Principality of Andorra.
"By signing and ratifying the Charter, the Principality of Monaco is joining the family of European nations committed to the implementation of this treaty's principles", said the President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress, Jean-Claude Frécon (France, SOC). "We very much hope that Monaco's decision to ratify the Charter will encourage the Republic of San Marino to follow suit, so that this treaty will have been ratified by all the Council of Europe's member States. Application of the Charter across ‘100% of European territory' is in fact one of the major objectives of the Congress." (more…)
