13th Plenary Session of the Congress

Strasbourg, 30 May - 1 June 2006

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe held its plenary session from 30 May to 1 June in Strasbourg.  The session began with the renewal of the delegations and elections for the posts of President of the Congress and Presidents of the chambers, Vice-presidents and Chairs of the Statutory committees. 

The members of the Congress reviewed the recent initiatives of the Congress as the  setting up of a Council of Europe centre for interregional and transfrontier cooperation in Saint Petersburg or the creation of new types of  Euroregions such as the Adriatic Euroregion and the Black Sea Euroregion.

 The members  also assessed the state of local and regional democracy in Europe. They examined reports on the local elections in Ukraine on 26 March 2006 and on the Referendum on self-determination for Montenegro (Serbia & Montenegro) on 21 May 2006 and  debated urban security, access for migrants to social rights and the management of water and waste.  The presentation of a report on combating trafficking in human beings was followed by the signing of a declaration.

 The guests who are to address the Congress include Terry Davis, Council of Europe Secretary General, Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, and Michel Delebarre, President of the European Union's Committee of the Regions.

 

Halvdan Skard elected President of the Council of Europe Congress. (more ...) Speech

Ian Micallef and Yavuz Mildon elected Presidents of the Chambers of the Congress of the Council of Europe  (more ...)

Giovanni Di Stasi : ''The role of territorial democracy is on the rise'' speech

Local elected representatives sign Declaration to fight human trafficking  (more ...) Speech Terry Davis Speech Halvdan Skard

Is the reform of local taxation in the Netherlands in violation of the Charter of Local Self-Government? The Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress of the Council of Europe expressed anxiety on Wednesday morning over the effects of the local tax reform on the financial independence of the Dutch local authorities. (more ...)

''Local authorities could protect vulnerable people'', says Human Rights Commissioner  Speech Video of the Speech