Civil Participation in Europe: International Conference, Ljubljana, 12 and 13 November

[10/11/2009] Organised at the initiative of the Conference of INGOs and in the framework of the Slovenian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, the conference will bring together NGOs and representatives of public authorities in South-East Europe and neighbouring countries. The discussion will revolve around the Code of Good Practice on Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process recently presented at the meeting of the Forum for the Future of Democracy in Kyiv. (more...)

Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government
“Good local and regional governance in turbulent times: the challenge of change”
16th Session, Utrecht, 16 - 17 November 2009
[12/11/2009] The global financial crisis has given a severe jolt to the very foundations of the world's economy and economic governance. While signs of a recovery are emerging, it is clear that the after-effects of the recession will continue to be felt for a long time. Local and regional authorities which, in Europe, manage proportions of public expenditure ranging up to as high as 80% are in the forefront of efforts to find a way out of the crisis, through exceptional investment expenditure, spending in the social sphere or on vocational retraining, etc. Their ability to cope with these exceptional challenges, which will remain long after the recession has come to an end, will be the focal point of the discussions among the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government when they meet in Utrecht (the Netherlands) on 16 and 17 November 2009. (more…)

Regional conference “Challenges ahead and opportunities of the Balkan region”, Pristina 5-8 November 2009
[29/10/2009] The Pristina School of Political Studies will organise a regional conference “Challenges ahead and opportunities of the Balkan region”, from 5 to 8 November 2009, in Pristina. Participants from the Schools of Zagreb, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Podgorica, Sofia, Skopje and Bucharest will take part in this seminar. (more...)

Final Workshop on the application of performance and budgetary planning mechanisms at local level, Tirana, 9 November 2009
[02/11/2009] The Council of Europe’s Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform, in co-operation with the Association of Albanian Municipalities (AAM) and the OSCE Presence in Albania, will organise, on Monday 9 November 2009 in Tirana, a Final Workshop on the Application of Performance and Budgetary Planning Mechanisms at Local Level. (more...)

Local and Regional Democracy and Good Governance
[23/09/2009] 2 treaties adopted by CM on local democracy issues
The draft additional protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the Right to Participate in the Affairs of a Local Authority and draft Protocol No. 3 to the Madrid Outline convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities concerning Euroregional Co-operation Groupings (ECGs) were adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 9 September. Both will be opened for signature at the 16th session of the Council of Europe Conference of ministers responsible for local and regional government in Utrecht (Netherlands) on 16-17 November 2009.
Adoption of 3 Country Reports by the CDLR
Three country reports on the Structure and Operation of Local and Regional Democracy, in Finland, Romania and Turkey respectively, were adopted by the CDLR on 18 September.(more...)