A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, composed of rapporteurs Xavier Cadoret (France, SOC/G/PD) and Marjorie Crovetto (Monaco, NI), will carry out a monitoring visit to Vaduz, as well as to the municipalities of Balzers, Eschen-Nendeln and Planken from 18 to 19 June 2024 to assess the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Liechtenstein since the previous monitoring report adopted by the Congress in 2018. They will be accompanied by Zülfiye Yılmaz, member of the group of independent experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Türkiye).

During this follow-up visit, the Congress delegation will examine in particular the system for approving local budgets, the division of competences between national and local authorities and the mechanisms for consulting local authorities - the points raised in the 2018 Congress recommendation.

The rapporteurs will hold discussions with the Prime Minister, Minister for the Presidency and Finance, Dr Daniel Risch; the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the Interior, the Economy and the Environment, Sabine Monauni; and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Gunilla Marxer-Kranz. The delegation will meet the President of the Constitutional Court, Hilmar Hoch, and the Deputy Mayor of Vaduz, Florian Meier. The Congress delegation will also meet the members of the Liechtenstein national delegation to the Congress, and representatives of the municipalities of Balzers and Eschen-Nendeln. Finally, a meeting will be held with Wilfried Marxer, President of the Liechtenstein Human Rights Association.

Contact : Guillaume Loiseau, Tel: +33 (0) 3 90 21 63 95

Liechtenstein ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1988. Countries that have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires compliance with a minimum number of rights, which form the European foundation of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities ensures that these principles are respected.

The challenges of local authorities in upholding international human rights standards were discussed at the fourth meeting of the Platform of Exchange on 13 June 2024 in Sarajevo. Organised by the Congress, the meeting brought together more than 40 local elected representatives and public officials, as well as representatives of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina and civil society organisations.

“Local authorities are uniquely positioned to understand and respond to the needs of their residents, ensuring that human rights principles are embedded in policy development and service delivery,” underlined Melanie Lepoultier (France, ILDG), Congress’ Deputy Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights. “Human rights delivery and stronger democratic participation at local level are two sides of the same coin, and both are key to creating equitable, cohesive, and inclusive societies. Through this Platform of Exchange, we see an avenue to contribute meaningfully to this goal”, she concluded.

Participants also exchanged on good practices and successful initiatives, tools and approaches that have strengthened human rights protection and democratic engagement within local communities throughout Europe.

This activity was organised in the framework of the project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.

Speaking at the Assembly of European Regions (AER) in Batumi, Georgia, on 13 June 2024, Tunç Soyer, Congress Vice-President and President of the Chamber of Regions, welcomed the partnership and close co-operation between the Congress and AER built over the years, including the mutual contribution to the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, as well as the initiatives to promote youth participation. Mr Soyer  called for greater efforts by local and regional governments to implement the 2030 sustainable development goals.

He also participated in a round table debate on political co-operation in the Black Sea region, as part of the 8^th Black Sea Summit. The Vice-President presented in particular Congress co-operation projects in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, aimed at promoting decentralisation, protecting human rights at local level and fostering effective multilevel governance in the region.

Congress Vice-President Bernd Vöhringer welcomed the local dimension put forward at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2024) in Berlin on 11-12 June 2024. Organised by the governments of Germany and Ukraine, the Conference brought together heads of state and governments, international organisations, local authorities, business and civil society representatives.

“Pursuing the decentralisation and local self-government reform is key for a sound reconstruction of the country, both in its human and economic aspects”, he highlighted in his discussions with the mayors and governors of Bucha, Chernijhiv, Kyiv, Korosten, Lyiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomir, Zviahel, and many other partner municipalities. In the meetings with the Ukrainian national associations, he reiterated the solidarity and support of the Congress in strengthening the city-to-city partnerships and in further mobilising networks to enhance the capacities of local and regional authorities in Ukraine, as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Resilience, Recovery, and Reconstruction 2023-2026.

Insights of the URC2024 will feed into the Congress report on recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, to be adopted in early 2025. This report will notably address the role of local self-government in rebuilding social capital and ensuring a sustainable future of cities and regions in Ukraine. Vice-President Vöhringer stressed that the Congress stands ready to contribute to the next edition of the URC to be hosted by the government of Italy in 2025.

Council of Europe Secretary General at Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin

 Gallery

The Congress’ Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity has launched a survey among key partners as part of the revision of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life. The Charter, first adopted in 1992 and last revised in 2003, is the only charter of its kind promoting youth participation. The revision is aimed at updating this important reference text for youth participation to the current challenges met by young people.

The responses to the survey will serve as a basis for the Charter’s revision and inspire the consultative meeting to be held on 5 July 2024 in Strasbourg, with the participation of Committee members, Congress Youth Delegates, members of the Council of Europe youth statutory bodies and selected partner organisations.

For more information or to contribute to the survey; please send an email to: [email protected]

The Committee on Governance, Civic Engagement and the Environment (Governance Committee)  of the Congress met for the first time under its new terms of reference on 11 June 2024 in Strasbourg. 

The Committee approved a report on fostering circular economy in Council of Europe municipalities and regions to address both environmental sustainability and human rights delivery by Linda Gillham (United Kingdom, ILDG) and Kristoffer Tamsons (Sweden, EPP/CCE)The Committee also discussed the preparation of a report on better local and regional governance of water resources by Teuvo Hatva (Finland, ILDG) and Carla Nunes Tavares (Portugal, SOC/G/PD); and agreed to prepare reports on coastal erosion, cultural heritage and memory, history teaching at regional level, as well as on recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine which would ensure its transition to a developed decentralised democracy. 

Committee members also held an exchange of views with Congress Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD) on ways of mainstreaming the human rights dimension into Committee activities, in the light of the revised Congress priorities.

The Committee’s Third Vice-Chair Benoît Pilet (France, ILDG) chaired the meeting and the Committee elected Paolo Beltraminelli (Switzerland, EPP/CCE) as First Vice-Chair.
 

Meeting on 6 June 2024, the Congress Bureau reaffirmed the Congress’s support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression, reiterated concern about the adoption of the ‘foreign influence’ law in Georgia, and took note of the developments after the local elections in Türkiye, including the forthcoming Congress postmonitoring mission. The Bureau supported the proposal to facilitate dialogue between local elected representatives  from both Cypriot communities, and welcomed Congress co-operation activities in support of multilevel governance reforms in Armenia, Finland and Ukraine, as well as fiscal decentralisation in Bulgaria and Hungary. It also approved integration of the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) under the auspices of the Congress, and agreed to examine the feasibility of opening the European Charter of Local Self-Government to non-member States. Finally, the Bureau expressed deep concern about the growing incidence of violence against local and regional representatives in Europe, and decided to prepare a report and recommendations to address this matter.

To mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2024, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, made the following statement:

“Not a day goes by without local and regional elected representatives taking a decision relating to the environment.

In May 2023, the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe emphasised the vital role of local and regional elected representatives in the fight against the triple global crisis of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, which is unfortunately increasingly making the headlines. Local and regional authorities have a great deal of experience in responding to this global emergency, and have a track record of taking bold and even visionary decisions.

In its recent decision, the European Court of Human Rights (Verein Klimaseniorinnen Schweiz and others v. Switzerland) strengthened the need for concrete action to protect the environment. Local and regional elected representatives are essential allies for national governments in meeting their international climate commitments and ensuring a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for future generations.

It is concerted action by authorities at all levels of governance that will make it possible to tackle the triple global environmental crisis “.

On 30 May 2024, Congress Vice-President Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP/CCE) held an exchange of views with the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) meeting in Oslo, Norway.

She underlined the role of Congress in preventing backsliding of democracy in the context of the Principles for Democracy adopted by the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik, pointing out that early signs of democratic backsliding could be detected by observing local and regional elections and compliance with the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The monitoring mechanism could be further used to identify deteriorating patterns through research by theme or type of violation, she added.

Vice-President Helgesen addressed the question of how to translate these Principles for Democracy into practical implementation and to establish benchmarks for an effective evaluation system that all levels of governance could rely on. She highlighted the extensive experience gained by the Congress through its co-operation activities and the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance in assessing the quality and democratic aspects of governance at local and regional levels, and the sector-specific benchmarks developed in this context.

During the exchange, PACE members thanked the Congress for its action in support of Ukraine, and raised questions about the conditions which should be enforced for deliberative democracy to be effective, how to make sure that local democracy is not weakened by excessive centralisation, and how elected representatives could regain citizens’ trust.

The Congress Vice-President emphasised that, in addition to benchmarking and early detection of democracy deficit, it was crucial to reinforce democratic fibre and restore trust in democratic institutions. She referred to the example of the deliberative process in the city of Mostar which had overcome a totally deadlocked situation by establishing, with the Congress help, a Citizens’ Assembly. Vice-President Helgesen underlined in this regard that deliberative democracy processes was one way which deepens citizens' involvement in political decision-making and helps to regain their trust.

“Artificial intelligence (AI) is now an integral part of our private and professional lives and of governance at every level. However, the unregulated design and use of AI tools present significant risks and must be viewed through the prism of human rights and within the framework of strict regulation,” stressed Congress Spokesperson on digitalisation and AI David Eray (Switzerland, EPP/CCE) in his keynote speech at the 9^th Summit of International City/County Management Association (ICMA), in Hasselt (Belgium) on 31 May 2024.

He underlined that digital transition was the matter for an effective multilevel governance, which meant for local and regional authorities working together and communicating with central governments to ensure coherence and progress in legislation and practices. “The voices of cities and regions should be taken into account because cities and regions cannot be genuinely ‘smart’ without being human-centred, without respecting human rights and supporting sustainable development”, pointed out the Congress Spokesperson.

He referred to the Congress work to promote digital equity and e-inclusion, in particular its 2022 report on smart cities and regions which addressed the role of technologies as the tools that should be mastered by people to improve their lives and well-being. Given the risks presented by AI, the Congress Spokesperson welcomed the fact that the Council of Europe had recently adopted a Convention on artificial intelligence as the first international binding treaty which sets fundamental principles and rules to safeguard human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the design, development, use and decommissioning of AI systems, and which is complementary to the existing Council of Europe standards, notably on human rights. He expressed hope that the multilevel governance perspective will be integrated into the Convention’s implementation.

After 30 years of discussions, Finland embarked upon the largest public administrative reform in its history in 2023 – with the creation of its wellbeing service counties.

Ensuring access to quality services at the local level, in a stringent economic situation and across diverse regional territories are among the challenges shared by many European countries. To tackle these issues, Finland prepared a reform introducing Wellbeing Services Counties in the country, for which the Finnish authorities requested the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to help guide the reform and its challenges. In the context of the project final conference, the relevant results were presented, and a discussion ensured between various stakeholders, including high level representatives of the Finnish Ministry of Finance, DG REFORM of the European Commission, representatives of local authorities, experts, and national institutional partners. On this occasion, the Congress Secretary General also presented the European Label of Governance Excellence award to six Finnish municipalities that have demonstrated compliance of their work with the 12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance.

In the margins of the conference, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori held bi-lateral meetings with the Minister of Local and Regional Government, Deputy Mayor of the City of Helsinki, the Director of the Human Rights Centre, the CEO of the Finnish Association of Local and Regional Authorities, and members of the Finnish Delegation to the CoE Congress, to discuss pertinent issues where the Council of Europe can provide further support.

The conference was organised in the context of a joint Council of Europe – EU project “Delivering Good Governance and Balanced Local Economy in Finland” that aims to strengthen good governance at all levels in line with the Reykjavik declaration and the relevant Council of Europe standards.

“In recent years, there has been a deplorable rise in all kinds of violence against local elected representatives in Europe, whether physical, psychological or verbal. A global strategy is urgently needed to protect them against hate speech and fake news and the resulting violence,” stressed Jean-Paul Bastin (Belgium, EPP/CCE), Mayor of Malmedy and Deputy Head of the Belgian delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, during his address to the French Senate in Paris on 30 May 2024.

Speaking at a round table on “How can we better protect our European local elected representatives?”, Mr Bastin referred in particular to the Congress report and recommendation on hate speech and fake news, proposing legal mechanisms to protect and support elected representatives in the face of threats, including those online. He described the increasingly anxiety-provoking conditions in which the mandate of a local elected representative is exercised, especially in the context of the successive crises that Europe had undergone.

Jean-Paul Bastin called for a global strategy to be drawn up at all levels of governance, involving all relevant stakeholders, including Internet intermediaries and representatives of the new technologies industry. This strategy should also include a regulatory framework to better prevent and, where necessary, counter threats and intimidation, including online.

He drew participants' attention to the extent of freedom of expression and its limits, of which local elected representatives, election candidates, police forces and the judiciary must be particularly aware if they are to act effectively against hate speech and fake news.

Participants in this event, organised by the Senate Delegation for Local Authorities and the French Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AFCCRE), discussed at length the status of elected representatives. This issue was the subject of a report and recommendation adopted by the Congress in 2015. Issues linked to the status of elected representatives - such as compensation for elected representatives, parity, training for elected representatives, end of mandate, and work-life balance - were the subject of substantial exchanges. 

29 May 2024, during the Open Gov Week, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities organised an online discussion to share experiences, strategies, and challenges in promoting inclusivity and a human rights perspective within Open Government initiatives in the local authorities of Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

Mélanie Lepoultier, Deputy Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights of the Congress, opened the event, stating that “the Congress promotes open government practices to enhance transparency, foster citizen participation, and build trust in public institutions. This not only improves governance but also strengthens the protection and promotion of human rights, and both are fundamental steps on the path towards joining the European Union”.

The event included the presentation of findings from a study in six Georgian members of the OGP Local Programme (Akhaltsikhe, Khoni, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Rustavi, and Tbilisi). The study involved local authorities and civil society to examine human rights, citizen participation, and inclusivity in local governance. Among the highlights discussed was the need to further institutionalise participatory practices and to support the capacities of underrepresented citizens to actively participate in local decision making.

Representatives from Causeni and Leova (Republic of Moldova) as well as Kyiv and Orzhytsia (Ukraine) and Ozurgeti (Georgia) also exchanged on common challenges in involving underrepresented groups in civic life and the effective and inclusive delivery of services.

The Congress will continue supporting local authorities in fostering inclusive and participatory governance within their OGP Local plans.

Open Gov Week

bE-Open: Open Local Government | A tool for action

On 28 May 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine, the Ukrainian Platform for National-Local Dialogue held a meeting on “Open government as a key ingredient for resilient local authorities”. “It is inspiring to witness that authorities in Ukraine continue to dedicate time and resources to engaging the population in decision-making, even under Russia’s war of aggression. Ukrainians remind us of the responsibility of public authorities to uphold transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and participation in the face of the numerous threats to democracies everywhere”, stated Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress, in his opening address.

The Ukrainian Platform for National-Local Dialogue was set up in 2021 to improve collaboration between the local and central levels in implementing open government principles and methods that facilitate citizen engagement.

This meeting was organised during Open Gov Week, a global event held from 27 to 31 May 2024, which brings together hundreds of reformers around the world – in government and civil society – seeking to further strengthen open government principles in their communities.

In this occasion, the Second Open Government Award ceremony, also held on 28 May, celebrated eleven Ukrainian communities that have excelled in implementing practices of youth participation, development of civic hubs, and citizens engagement in the recovery of Ukraine.

This meeting was jointly organised with the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Association of Ukrainian Cities, as part of the project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine” implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. 

See more:

Open government as a key ingredient for resilient local authorities

The 12^th World Forum for Democracy, “Democracy and Diversity - Can we transcend the divides?” will take place from 6-8 November 2024 in Strasbourg. In a year during which around one half of the world’s population has been called to the polls, participants will debate the issues of disinformation and divisive political narratives around diversity and will explore ways of raising understanding among citizens of the risks posed by populism for their fundamental rights and freedoms.

The World Forum for Democracy launches a call for initiatives and invites NGOs, think tanks, educational and civil society organisations from all over the world to present innovative proposals aimed at enhancing democracy and contributing to sustainable peace. Presentations of initiatives should be sent to [email protected] by 31 May 2024.

Each year, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities contributes to the World Forum for Democracy and participates in plenary sessions, Forum Talks and Forum Labs, with a focus on local and regional democracy.

On 23 May 2024, the first Manual “Novelties of the Law on Local Public Service in Ukraine of 2 May 2023: commentary and comparative analysis” was presented at a hybrid meeting in Kyiv, with the online participation of more than 540 representatives of local authorities of all levels from 24 Ukrainian regions. The presentation was organised by the Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine”, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

The Manual was developed by the Programme in co-operation with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and in co-ordination with the National Agency of Ukraine on Public Service. It became first comprehensive commentary on the novelties of the new law including drawing parallels to the previous one which is still in force until the end of the martial law.

As outlined by Congress Director Claudia Luciani in the introduction to the manual, reform of public service at local level is a significant component of the legal basis of multi-level governance. It corresponds to the spirit of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the “Reykjavik Principles for Democracy”, adopted by Heads of State and Government of the organisation’s 46 member states at the 4th Summit on 16-17 May 2023.

The Centre of Expertise will continue providing recommendations on amendments to other legislation on local public service, relevant by-laws, and methodological guidance to local authorities in Ukraine.

The Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine” is implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.

On 20 and 21 May, the Congress participated in the North-South Dialogues in Lisbon, a new initiative launched by the North South Centre intended to provide a platform to discuss the state of North-South relations and prospects for their development. For this first edition, the subject of discussion was “Prospects and interregional cooperation for the abolition of death penalty”. The Congress representative to the Centre Jorge Sequeira, Mayor of Sao Joao de Madeira and Head of the Portuguese delegation to the Congress highlighted the role of local authorities in raising awareness and educating public on this question. “As frontline actors, our proximity provides us with the possibility to engage with and influence public opinion, raise awareness of flaws resulting from death penalty, monitor and report on related issues, organize events or educational courses to correct misinformation and reinforce the implementation of human rights in our communities” he said. The Congress representative also attended the Award Ceremony of the 2023 North-South Prize in the Portuguese Parliament and took part in the Executive Committee of the North-South Centre. He was re-elected as member of the Centre’s Bureau.

On 16 May 2024,  the Council of Europe Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine” presented its 2023 achievements, ongoing activities and further plans for 2024 to its Steering Committee. On this occasion, the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe presented the 2023 results of its project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine” and plans till 31 December 2024. The Centre of Expertise for Good Governance  and the Programme were praised as a longstanding and a valued leading advisor in designing complex governance policies and relevant reforms in Ukraine.

Congress Director Claudia Luciani co-chaired this meeting together with Olena Shuliak, Chairperson of the Specialised Parliamentary Committee on Local Self-Government, and Vitaliy Bezhin, Chairperson of the Specialised Subcommittee. In her welcome address, Director Luciani underlined the Council of Europe’s longstanding support to Ukraine in the area of multi-level governance and stressed the important role of decentralisation reform. “It is crucial to make sure that we keep focus on decentralisation. Everybody understands that it is a successful and important reform taken up long before the war. We are proud that we are working in the area that is not only so vital for the future of the country, but also has meant so much in the current war effort that Ukraine is undergoing,” she emphasised.

The meeting brought together the Programme’s national partners – representatives of the Specialised Parliamentary Committee on Local Self-Government, Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, National Agency on Corruption Prevention, National Agency on Civil Service, local authorities and their associations – and diplomatic missions representing donor countries to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026.

The Centre of Expertise for Good Governance is planning its next intervention in Ukraine in the area of strengthening democratic governance and participation to be carried out in 2025-2026. It will be built on achievements of its current co-operation and lessons learnt. In the coming months the team of the Centre of Expertise will hold in-depth consultations with national stakeholders to design its new Programme. 

The Steering Committee meeting was organised by the Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine”. This Programme is implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026 by the Centre of Expertise at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

The Congress will organise, in the framework of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, a Conference of national associations of local and regional authorities, on 12 and 13 September in Strasbourg, under the theme “building together a stronger local and regional democracy.”

The Conference will bring together around 110 national associations from all over Europe to share their ideas about the role and the future of local and regional authorities and local democracy in Europe, against the background of the many challenges faced by our continent today. Moreover, the war of aggression against Ukraine being at the centre of the Council of Europe priorities, the Conference will highlight the initiatives of Ukrainian local and regional authorities as well as the Congress cooperation activities in Ukraine.

In May 2023, the 4^th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik reaffirmed the role of local and regional authorities as in delivering democracy, human rights and the rule of law at the grassroot level. In the light of the Summit, the Congress will pursue its work to promote youth participation in public life, and Congress Youth Delegates will actively contribute to the Conference.

At the end of the event, national associations will sign a joint declaration to reaffirm their commitment to the standards and values of the Council of Europe and to give their co-operation a renewed momentum, for the benefit of their citizens and communities.

Addressing the Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg on 17 May 2024, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Marc Cools outlined the Congress' action to implement the decisions of the Reykjavik Summit.

The President underlined the Congress' continued commitment to supporting Ukraine and its work to fight democratic backsliding, ensure better implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, and strengthen environmental protection as well as young people’s engagement at local and regional level.

President Cools highlighted in particular the Congress' support for the resumption of decentralisation in Ukraine, transition to civilian administration and organisation of local elections, as part of the preparation of the country's institutions for the post-war period. He also referred to work in the fields of artificial intelligence, action on climate change and dialogue with local authorities to raise their awareness of their human rights responsibilities and to facilitate the implementation of the Court's judgments.

In the area of social justice and protection of social rights, the Congress began joint work with the Council of Europe Development Bank on housing. It also pursued its "Rejuvenating Politics" initiative, which enables 46 young people each year to take part in its work, and launched a new revision of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life.

"We are determined to implement the Summit's conclusions, and are doing everything we can to ensure that the commitments made in Reykjavik are respected not only in all the other European capitals, but also in the thousands of municipalities, towns and regions that make up the strength of our Europe," concluded the Congress President.

President's speech

“Serving citizens is the highest priority for local and national governments,” recalled Dr Tibor Navracsics, Minister for Public Administration and Regional Development in Hungary at the 35^th Anniversary Conference of the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ), organised in Budapest on 30 April 2024 with the support of the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

Gathering on the eve of the 20^th anniversary of Hungary’s accession to the European Union, and using this occasion to celebrate also the 75^th anniversary of the Council of Europe and the 30^th anniversary of the Congress, local government stakeholders acknowledged the importance of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, and the Principles of Good Democratic Governance as the basis for pursuing dialogue to address the challenges faced by Hungarian municipalities.

The participants recalled that during these challenging times for the public sector, predictable resourcing, transparency and upholding common European values such as accountability to citizens were essential.

The event was organised within the joint EU/CoE project ‘Local Government Public Finance Development and Municipal Capacity Building in Hungary’,  implemented by the Centre of Expertise to advance dialogue on intergovernmental finances. The Conference served as a platform to build on the effective cooperation between central and local authorities in delivering significant outputs of the project such as the design of a data portal for local governments, the 2023 Peer Review and the results of the Local Finance Benchmarking exercise.

“Hate is a slow poison that – if left unaddressed – can spread widely in our communities, affecting the most vulnerable,” stressed Véronique Bertholle (France, SOC/G/PD), Congress Spokesperson on Youth and Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg, speaking in a panel discussion on the state of hate and violent extremism in cities in Europe and North America, in Strasbourg, France, on 14 May 2024.

Taking part in a two-day workshop for local leaders held at the European Parliament in the framework of transatlantic dialogue on combatting hate and violent extremism at local level, Ms Bertholle highlighted the importance of tackling hate and extremism as part of a wider effort to create an environment of tolerance, unity and cohesion at local level.

Organised by the Strong Cities Network on 14 and 15 May, the event focused on city-led efforts in strengthening social cohesion and safeguarding local democracy. In addition to contemporary threats such as terrorism or extremist movements, the panel on 14 May addressed the impact of hate and violence on local elected officials. While noting the need for local politicians and community leaders to play an exemplary role in refraining from using hateful speech, Ms Bertholle also underlined the importance of protecting them from violence.

“The Congress is adamant about the fact that local democracy cannot thrive in a context where even democratically elected representatives are unsafe,” Ms Bertholle stated. She warned that violence against local officials has a paralyzing effect on the most fundamental level of democracy, as outlined in recent Congress reports on the impact of hate speech on local elected officials and on sexist violence in politics at local level.

Finally, the Congress Spokesperson on Youth also emphasised the need to work with young people and increase their resilience to fake news and online hate.

  Hate speech and fake news report

  Fighting sexist violence in politics report

On the occasion of the 2024 International Day against Homophobia, Biophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), 17 May, entitled “No one left behind: equality, freedom and justice for all”, Chair of the Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity (SOC) Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), reiterated the Congress’ commitment to combating any form of discrimination against LGBTIQ persons notably at the local level.

“Leaving no one behind, be it in the protection of human rights or in the provision of services at local level, is indeed the main concern for both local and regional authorities serving all people living on their territories in a fair and equal manner,” she said. “Local and regional politicians are very much aware of the different contexts where LGBTIQ persons may be discriminated, be it in educational institutions, labour markets or media conveying stereotypes and violence. The Congress has notably paid attention to these matters in its 2021 reports on “Protecting LGBTI people in the context of rising anti-LGBTI hate speech and discrimination: The role of local and regional authorities” and “The role of local and regional authorities with regard to the situation of LGBTI people in Poland”, but also via the participation in international events, such as the European IDAHOT+ Forum 2023 in Reykjavik, Iceland,” continued Ms Rudkin.

“In the face of various crisis situations and a trend towards democratic backsliding in many countries, it is vital to ensure that local actions continue to be based on tolerance, non-discrimination and non-violence. In 2024, the Congress, and in particular its new Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity (SOC), will continue to promote such values in a cross-cutting manner, through its thematic activities on ageing communities, human trafficking and housing, before developing new specific LGBTIQ activities in the future,” she concluded.

See more :

 International Day Against Homophobia

 European IDAHOT+ Forum 2024 

Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has caused mass displacement, with over six million refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe, and in particular in neighbouring countries. While local and regional authorities are key actors in migration management as they are at the forefront in receiving and providing services to those displaced, the increased number of refugees in host countries constitutes a challenge for all levels of government.

Within the framework of its multi-lateral project “Strengthening resilience in local and regional authorities facing migration challenges”, the Congress conducted a baseline assessment of the challenges and needs faced by local authorities regarding migration management, as well as integration mechanisms in Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Romania. The three countries’ baseline reports cover the period from May to August 2023.

The reports present key developments in the three countries’ migration policies, assess the impact of the war and describe local authorities’ responsibilities in the current legal and policy context. They also outline key trends and challenges in migration management and integration, and make recommendations to enhance multi-level dialogue and strengthen institutional frameworks for local authorities as leaders of change.  

The reports are available in English, as well as in Romanian and Polish languages:

• Report on Poland – English version and Polish version
• Report on the Republic of Moldova – English version and Romanian version
• Report on Romania – English version and Romanian version

The Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities implements the project “Strengthening resilience in local and regional authorities facing migration challenges” in the framework of  the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe, and thanks to the Federal Republic of Germany’s financial contribution.

* The country report on the Republic of Moldova was prepared in co-operation with the project “Reinforcing the culture of dialogue and ethical open local governance in the Republic of Moldova”.

The President of the Congress of Local and regional Authorities, Marc Cools, made the following statement today:

“I share deep concern expressed by the Council of Europe’s Secretary General regarding the draft law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, adopted by the Georgian Parliament at third reading, and its impact on Georgia’s democracy and respect of human rights. A free and vibrant civil society is an essential component of democracy at all levels. The Congress will continue its work in Georgia to strengthen local democracy and human rights”.

“The important role of local and regional authorities in strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law received further recognition at the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik last year, which gave a stronger mandate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities,” underlined Tunç Soyer, President of the Congress’ Chamber of Regions, in his keynote speech at the General Assembly of the European Association for Local Democracy-ALDA (Association of Local Democracy Agencies), in Barcelona (Spain) on 13 May 2024.

Addressing the panel on “Local democracy, engaging globally: a European perspective”, he pointed out that this stronger mandate entailed closer partnership and broader synergies with ALDA in promoting citizen participation, youth engagement and good governance at local level. Highlighting the close and strong link between the Congress and ALDA, Mr Soyer recalled that the first Local Democracy Agency opened in Subotica (Serbia) in 1993 as an idea supported by the Congress, and that ALDA was then created in 1999 at the initiative of the Council of Europe to coordinate and support the network of Local Democracy Agencies.  

He highlighted the longstanding cooperation between the Congress and ALDA, underpinned by common values of participatory democracy, civic engagement and responsible governance at local level. He also pointed out that country-specific cooperation activities implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance, which is now operating at the Congress, represented an additional potential for synergies with ALDA, which took on a particular importance this year that marks the 75^th anniversary of the Council of Europe, the 30^th anniversary of the Congress and the 10^th Anniversary of its “Rejuvenating Politics” initiative of engaging Youth Delegates in the Congress work.

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD) and Thematic Spokesperson on Youth, Véronique Bertholle (France, SOC/G/PD), participated in a high-level visit to Ukraine on 8 and 9 May 2024.

“The contribution of local and regional authorities to the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine is essential”, stressed Congress President Marc Cools in his welcoming address at the opening of the Second International Summit of Cities and Regions, which was held in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 9 May.

Addressing leading figures, including the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Congress President Marc Cools commended Ukraine’s efforts related to its decentralisation reform, and reiterated the unwavering support of the Congress to Ukraine, its people, and communities.

In the margin of the Summit which was organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine, the Council of Europe Congress delegation met with key Ukrainian stakeholders to exchange on issues related to multi-level and good democratic governance, as well as priorities for ongoing and future reforms, notably in view of Ukraine’s recovery.

In this regard, the Congress delegation took part in field visits to Moschun, Borodyanka, Bucha, and Irpin, areas which are undergoing reconstruction efforts. While exchanging with local leaders, President Cools reaffirmed the Congress political support to Ukraine in the post-war recovery, and commitment through targeted co-operation projects and initiatives, including awareness-raising on the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

 Russian Federation's war against Ukraine: special file

 Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine

 Flickr gallery

“Strengthening democracy, Human Rights, the rule of law as well as good governance and democratic participation at all levels is a shared responsibility of national, local and regional authorities” Congress Vice-President Bernd Vöhringer stressed at the opening of the 5^th European conference on democracy and Human Rights in Kristiansand on 6 May 2024. Referring to worrying trends of democratic erosion, he called for manyfold responses “with all actors at all levels collaborating to protect our hard-earned democratic principles, in line with the outcomes of the Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Reykjavik almost one year ago”. He underlined that “local and regional authorities are at the forefront to directly influence people's lives with their actions and have a crucial role to play to contribute to make European democracy more stable and more resilient”. Highlighting that the Congress adapted very quickly to the outcomes of Reykjavik by revising its priorities and upholding its focus on human rights, he said the Congress placed itself and its members - the local and regional elected representatives - at the service of intangible rights which, if better implemented, will serve the cause of democratic stability in Europe. In the face of the continuing war of aggression that Russia has started against Ukraine, Vice-President Vöhringer recalled that the Congress is engaged in concrete support to Ukraine by contributing to the High-Level Dialogue on good democratic governance with Ukrainian authorities, focusing on local government legislation and decentralisation issues and involving in initiatives on Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction as well as on the to the work of the Register of Damage adopted by the Reykjavik Summit.

President of the Congress’ Chamber of Regions Tunç Soyer (Türkiye, SOC/G/PD) will participate in the General Assembly and Festival of the European Association for Local Democracy-ALDA, to be held from 13 to 15 May 2024 in Barcelona (Spain), in the El Born Centre for Culture and Memory. On 13 May, President Soyer address the panel dedicated to “Local Democracy, engaging globally: a European Perspective”. The Festival’s agenda also includes panels and events on migration, participatory democracy, gender equality, digitalisation and many other issues. The new Governing Board of ALDA will be elected on 13 May.

ALDA Festival and General Assembly 2024 (alda-europe.eu)

Ten local communities (hromadas) including Lviv City, representing 90% of the Lviv metropolitan area’s population, launched a new association “Lviv Agglomeration” as a platform for their future collaboration. During its inaugural meeting on 29 April 2024, Lviv City Mayor Andriy Sadovyi was elected as its President and Bibrka City Mayor Roman Hrynus as its co-President.

The new association was created with the help from the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which had been supporting the development of metropolitan governance in Lviv Agglomeration since 2021. Through a diverse range of activities, the Centre helped the 18 constituent local communities to build trust and to design the common Development Strategy of Lviv Agglomeration endorsed in November 2023.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting, Congress Director Claudia Luciani congratulated Ukrainian partners on this important initiative, stressing that the right of local authorities to associate was guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. She wished the co-founders of the new association to use the opportunities offered by this platform for improving service delivery and governance across Lviv Agglomeration.

The Centre of Expertise will continue its advocacy to improve metropolitan governance in Ukraine, both by supporting the newly created association and facilitating the multi-lateral dialogue on legal framework in this area.

The activity was supported by the Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine”. This Programme is implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026 by the Centre of Expertise at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Constructive multi-level dialogue, capacity development of local and regional authorities and their national associations, and peer exchanges are key to support Ukraine’s efforts in defending the country and ensuring recovery and reconstruction.  These messages were presented by Bernd Vöhringer, Vice-President of the Congress, at the meeting of the European Committee of Regions’ Working Group on Ukraine, on 29 April 2024 in Brussels (Belgium).

“The Congress has always been keen on creating a space where local leaders can freely exchange, share experiences and learnings, and disseminate good practice,” he stated, while presenting the work of the Congress in enhancing multi-level governance. Vice-President Vöhringer stressed the importance for Ukrainian authorities to continue engaging in city-to-city relations. “The majority of smaller municipalities don’t have international partners. We must do more to support them,” he concluded.

Russian Federation's war against Ukraine: special file

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 3 May, Congress rapporteurs on local and regional media, Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden) and Mélanie Lepoultier (France), issued the following statement:

“The global crises we are facing today bring to the fore the importance of comprehensive and accurate reporting by independent media at all levels, to guarantee the right of citizens to be informed. Climate change may be a global phenomenon, but its impacts are felt first and foremost in our communities at local and regional level. Forest fires destroy regional nature reserves, rainstorms flood our cities’ streets and the rising sea risks gaining territory on coastal communities.

This local impact of climate change needs to be reflected in the press. Citizens must know how climate change affects them concretely and what their local and regional authorities are doing to respond to this challenge. For this, we need strong and independent local media, which are a part of local communities and understand their needs and concerns. Only when citizens are aware of what is at stake and how their lives risk being impacted, will we see real mobilisation for climate action – both by citizens and by public authorities.

That is why, on this World Press Freedom Day, we call for greater support to local and regional media, to ensure better reporting on the local impacts of climate change. We call on local and regional elected representatives to make sure that local journalists can do their job safely and independently, inform them of what your locality is doing to mitigate climate change, and allow them access to the information they need to inform your citizens.

Press and politics, working together at local level, are key in ensuring a sustainable future for Europe’s communities.”

Link to the 2023 Congress report “Local and regional media: watchdogs of democracy, guardians of community cohesion”

In his communication to the Committee of Ministers on 30 April 2024, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori presented the Congress action to implement the decisions of the Reykjavik Summit, notably in supporting Ukraine, fighting against democratic backsliding, upholding human rights and the rule of law at local and regional level, promoting democratic values beyond Council of Europe member States, and engaging with young people.

The Secretary General underlined the unwavering political support of the Congress to Ukraine and its engagement in the High-Level Dialogue on good democratic governance with Ukrainian authorities focusing on local government legislation and decentralisation issues, as well as its contribution to the work of the Register of Damage and to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.

Secretary General Mori also took stock of the Congress monitoring, post-monitoring and election observation activities, aimed at strengthening local self-government and promoting multi-level governance and democratic participation, as well as co-operation programmes to assist member States in those areas, with 15 co-operation projects currently being implemented in 18 countries. He further referred to the start of the dialogue with local authorities on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and on strengthening their role in upholding the rule of law, as well as to the Congress co-operation with the Belarus democratic forces and civil society in developing local democracy legislation, providing training and launching a programme of support to children of political prisoners.

The Secretary General concluded by outlining the continued work to enhance youth participation and democratic engagement, through the pursuit of the Congress’ “Rejuvenating Politics” initiative and its Youth Delegates, which will mark 10 years in 2024, and the launch of a new revision of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life.

Address by Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress 

The curriculum on human rights and anti-discrimination was launched in Georgia to equip local authorities with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives that are essential for advancing a human-rights based local democracy. Meeting in Tbilisi on 26 April 2024, the Forum of Exchange on Human Rights at Local Level in Georgia (a platform for dialogue comprising of 13 Georgian local authorities) presented this practical guide, co-created with local elected representatives, municipal staff, and the National Association of Local Authorities (NALAG), with the support of the Public Defender’s Office, in the framework of the Congress project.

“By enhancing local authorities’ awareness of international human rights standards, we aim to reinforce their capacity to champion inclusivity, equality, and participation in local governance”, stated Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights of the Congress of the Council of Europe, at the opening of the Forum. “The curriculum is a comprehensive tool designed to encourage and promote an intersectional approach to decision-making, taking into account the rights and needs of underrepresented groups,” she stressed, while commending the efforts of Georgian local authorities to promote sustainable change for inclusion, and noting that the impact of their contribution reaches far beyond Georgia. The curriculum covers key modules ranging from fundamental principles to sustainable implementation strategies, ensuring that local authorities are well-equipped to foster inclusive and rights-respecting communities.

On the same occasion, local authorities and the project partners shared insights on their perspectives and main interests for the next four years as well as on future direction of their endeavours in regard with the protection and promotion of human rights in their constituencies.

The event brought together local elected representatives and municipal staff, representatives of the National Association of Local Authorities, as well as the deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure and the First Deputy Public Defender of Georgia.

This event was co-organised with the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia in the framework of the project “Strengthening Participatory Democracy and Human Rights at Local Level in Georgia”, implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity,, within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023 with the financial contribution of the Austrian Development Cooperation.

 One-pager presentation of Curriculum

 Curriculum

Founded in 1994 – following a decision taken at the 1st Council of Europe Summit in Vienna the previous year – the Congress, which took over from the Conference of Local Authorities of Europe established in 1957, has pioneered European-level co-operation for local and regional authorities in Council of Europe member states. Since being set up, it has played a key part in ensuring increased recognition for them, while helping them to boost their effectiveness and role, and it can be proud to have advanced local democracy across the continent. In a time when democracy is increasingly being questioned and tested, the lessons gleaned from local democracy can now, in turn, help to revitalise democratic practices in Europe.

Bringing together past and present Congress leaders and members, the 30th Anniversary Round Table focused on the present and the future, rather than simply recalling the years gone by. Five speakers were asked to discuss the key issues that make the Congress successful and unique today. Dominique Faure, the French Minister for Local and Regional Authorities and Rural Affairs, paid tribute to her predecessor of many years ago, Jacques Chaban-Delmas, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, for persuading the latter to involve local and regional authorities in the process of building Europe. She stressed the importance of grassroots democracy in addressing the challenges facing our societies today, reminding us that democracy is first and foremost a local matter.

Josep Dallerès, Andorra’s former ambassador to the Council of Europe, expressed his concern that contemporary democracy was being undermined “by lies, compromising of individuals and propaganda”. Contrary to what had been assumed for too long, democracy was not something to be taken for granted, but a culture to be taught and learned. He again put forward the idea of setting up a Council of Europe educational framework for this purpose. As two former presidents of the Congress, Giovanni Di Stasi of Italy and Ian Micaleff of Malta, said, democracy was first and foremost a question of attitude. There were rules to be followed, of course, but certain standards of conduct were also required. This was echoed by Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the German-speaking community in Belgium and several times Vice-President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress. In his view, “nothing is ever set in stone in democracy”, and beyond the achievements that have been made, “democracy is best reinvented at local level” – exactly as the Congress was doing.

Innovative practices and programmes at the Congress

In addition to its specific activities, which range from monitoring local and regional democracy to observing elections and implementing key Council of Europe guidelines at local and regional level, the Congress stands out for its often innovative working methods, which can also serve as an example, particularly in terms of gender equality, citizen participation and the involvement of young people in local and regional public life.

Danela Arsovska, Mayor of Skopje, North Macedonia’s capital, is one of only two female mayors in the country and is also chair of the Macedonian delegation to the Congress. “My position shows that women can and must make their voices heard much more than they do today, including to better counter hate speech and harassment,” she said, also calling on men to do more to support women facing such behaviour. Throughout its work, the Congress strives to promote equality and, as its President Marc Cools pointed out, also puts this into practice: the delegations are required to ensure that at least 30% of the members they appoint are of the under-represented sex. And although Austria’s Gudrun Mosler-Törnström pointed out that she had been the only female president of the Congress to date, she hoped that other women would one day follow in her footsteps. She also noted that the Congress in its current form, officially established by the 1993 Vienna Summit, had always been “a source of inspiration and pride” for her.

José Manuel Ribeiro, Mayor of Valongo, Portugal, focused on the participation of citizens in local political life, one of the other key policies advanced by the Congress in recent years. In his view, citizen participation “strengthens the capacity of public policy to transform society” and the sovereignty of citizens in no way undermines the legitimacy of elected officials. His city therefore involves its residents as much as possible in major decisions, especially because “local people are much more creative than consultants”.

Young people are bringing renewal to the Congress

Bringing young people on board and taking their expectations into account is another strength of the activities and policies of the Congress. Since 2014, youth delegates have attended and spoken at Congress sessions alongside elected officials. Everybody agreed that standards here were rising every year, as demonstrated by many creative ideas and proposals. Zeljko Vuksa-Fejzic, a lawyer from Sarajevo, was the youth delegate for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023. He spoke passionately about how engaging young people could help them to resist illiberal and authoritarian regimes. Local democracy could be a gateway to politics for young people, who were best placed to topple dictators. Local democracy was a force for freedom that “uplifts democracy as a whole”, a view welcomed and echoed by several other speakers.

Many of the youth delegates present felt that as local democracy began at school, youth assemblies (whether for young adults, teenagers or even schoolchildren) should be set up in every country, along the lines of the children’s “municipal councils” in France. Gender equality was one of the other priorities to be pursued at the local level, as several youth delegates pointed out before the session closed on this topic, with many ideas put forward.

Statement by President Marc Cools (French only)

Programme of the anniversary

Poster of the anniversary

Video recording

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46th Session
Agenda – Web file – Photos 

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is implementing two projects, on Reinforcing the culture of dialogue and ethical open local governance in the Republic of Moldova and on “Promoting civil participation in political decision making in the Republic of Moldova”, as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova (2021-2024)

In that context, the Congress is launching a tender procedure for the purchase of local consultancy services in the field of open government, transparency in decision-making, decentralisation and access to public services in the Republic of Moldova.

Providers of consultancy services are sought to support local authorities and civil society in improving the quality of local democracy through the promotion of open government and access to information at the local level. Moreover, consultants are expected to support central and local authorities in analysing and improving transparency in decision-making process, and in mapping the provision of public services at local and regional levels.

The deadline for submission of applications is 14 May 2024

The expected start date is 27 May 2024.

Tender documents

Interested consultants are invited to apply and submit their offer for the provision of local consultancy services in line with the Tender File and the Act of Engagement, which contain a full description of the terms and conditions of engagement and the scope of activities.

Tender File  

Act of Engagement.  

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Congress Mathieu Mori presented the recent Congress work on the link between local democracy and the rule of law at the 2024 European Future Talks series held at St Edmund’s College, Cambridge University, on 18 April 2024.

The Talks were the occasion to present the role local and regional authorities play, not only as subject to the rule of law, but also actors implementing it. Indeed, some local and regional authorities have powers which necessitate a careful implementation of the rule of law, such as powers of police or powers of detention. Respect for the rule of law also implies that citizens democratically and freely elect their local and regional authorities, that laws are uniformly applied by all state institutions, that no one is above the law and that no citizen is discriminated against or left behind. It is the role of local and regional elected representatives to ensure that this balance is fully respected.

The conference was also the opportunity to stress how local authorities can help with another aspect of the rule of law: the implementation of judicial decisions. Decisions by the European Court of Human Rights sometimes necessitate changes of policies and practice at local level to comply with provisions of the European Convention of human rights. The Congress plays a role in facilitating the political dialogue with local leaders to help them implement the ECHR decisions.

To know more, find here the Congress report on “Local and Regional Authorities as Actors and Guarantors of the Rule of Law”

A Regional project on “Promoting deliberative democracy and innovative approaches to citizen participation in South-East Europe” was launched on 18 April 2024 in Bar, Montenegro. It brought together local elected representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and members of the Network of Associations of Local Authorities in South-East Europe (NALAS).

“This project supported by Germany focuses on democratic processes and innovation in citizen participation – a core principle of human rights and thriving democracies. It is in line with our commitment to European values and to meeting the needs and interests of citizens”, stated Bernd VÖHRINGER, Vice-President of the Congress in his opening address.

The launching event served as an opportunity to exchange and discuss the features of deliberative democracy, a key element of the Reykjavik principles of democracy.

The Congress support to the processes in the region was highlighted by President Vöhringer, on the same day, at the opening of XIX General Assembly of NALAS which celebrates its 20th anniversary. NALAS was praised as a committed and reliable partner of the Congress, for its achievements and in addressing the challenges that our societies are facing.

On the margins of the launch, Congress Director Claudia Luciani met with Marash Dukaj, Minister of Public Administration to discuss the follow up to Congress monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Montenegro adopted in March 2024. Meetings were also held with Dusan Raicevic, Mayor of Bar, newly elected President of NALAS, as well as with representatives of the international community.

The project “Promoting deliberative democracy and innovative approaches to citizen participation in South-East Europe” is implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, with the financial support of Germany. The project aims to strengthen democratic processes in the South-East of Europe and to enhance the skills and capacities of local authorities and their association. It promotes deliberative democracy and innovative forms of citizen participation as complements to representative democracy in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo^* Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

President Vöhringer speech

Ambassador Felten speech

NALAS General Assembly

Flickr Gallery

*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

“Fiscal decentralisation is not about administrative restructuring; it is about political empowerment and citizen trust”, stated the Secretary General of the Congress Local and Regional Authorities, Mathieu Mori, at closing the final conference of the EU/CoE project “Developing fiscal decentralisation and improving local financial management” held in Sofia on 16 April 2024. The project achieved significant milestones thanks to effective cooperation between central government, local municipalities, and civil society organisations, and resulted in agreement on a sequenced roadmap to support the decentralisation reform across all levels of governance in Bulgaria. This reform is essential to strengthen democracy and good governance in line with the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the Committee of Ministers recommendation CM/Rec(2023)5 on principles of good democratic governance.

Implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress, the project played a crucial role in advancing the debate on fiscal decentralisation and in building capacities of local authorities in Bulgaria. 

During his visit for the final conference, the Secretary General met with the Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, and the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Violeta Koritarova (pictured), underscoring the importance of advancing fiscal decentralisation.

Mr Mori also presented the "Rejuvenating Politics" programme, a Congress initiative to promote youth participation in public life and decision-making processes at the local and regional levels, in a discussion with students and researchers at the University of Sofia.

The Congress congratulates all new OGP Local members, and in particular Modriča and Travnik (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Causeni and Leova (Republic of Moldova), and Kyiv and Orzhytsia – Zviahel (Ukraine).

Congress remains committed to support local authorities who are championing the principles of transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and co-creation with citizens and civil society.

These local authorities are part of a 100+ cohort of local governments determined to enhance good governance and better address the needs of their residents in the challenging times our societies are facing.

A series of activities is scheduled as part of the  Open Gov Week from 27 to 31 May 2024, focusing on the potential of local authorities to lead the change towards more open and people-powered governance through co-creation processes and innovations. Further details will be announced shortly.

Applications to the OGP Local Programme have been supported as part of the ongoing Congress bilateral projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, implemented within the respective Council of Europe Action Plans.

Further information:

bE-Open: Open Local Government | A tool for action

On 16 April 2024, Congress President Marc Cools met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Moldova Mihail Popșoi. Discussions focused on the decentralisation process in the country in the light of the Congress monitoring recommendations for improved application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the roadmap for their implementation, in the framework of post-monitoring dialogue between the Congress and Moldovan authorities. On this occasion, the President invited the Republic of Moldova to ratify the Additional Protocol to the Charter, on citizen participation in local public affairs. Reference was also made to the current co-operation activities aimed at accompanying the decentralisation reforms and improving the mechanism of consultations between central and local authorities.

Representatives from Romanian local and central authorities, as well as civil society and international organisations gathered in Bucharest on 11 April 2024 for a roundtable to discuss “The current and future role of local public authorities in the context of a multilevel governance on migration in Romania”. Project partners from Poland and the Republic of Moldova joined the discussion, sharing insights and practices from their own contexts.

Discussions included an exchange of views with high-level representatives from the central authorities responsible for emergency responses and immigration issues. The participants identified areas that can further strengthen responses and integration mechanisms for migrants and refugees, and increase the role and preparedness of local authorities in that area.

The participants also took stock of the accomplishments and ongoing challenges that stakeholders had encountered in migration management due to Russia’s war of aggression again Ukraine. Furthermore, the roundtable helped to formulate specific proposals for improving multilevel coordination and dialogue, identified areas for possible legal and policy adaptation, and established priorities for capacity building of local public administration institutions.

The roundtable discussion was based on the findings of a country-specific report [E N / ROM], focusing on migration-related challenges and ways forward in the Romanian context.

The Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities organised the roundtable jointly with the Association of Communes of Romania (ACoR) in the framework of the project “Strengthening resilience in local and regional authorities facing migration challenges”. The project is implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe, and with the financial contribution of Germany.

A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe composed of rapporteurs Konstantinos Koukas (Greece, EPP/CCE) and Rachel Bailey (United Kingdom, ECR), carried out a monitoring visit to Finland from 16 to 18 April 2024 to assess the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government since the previous monitoring report adopted by the Congress in 2017 and the implementation of the latest Recommendation 396 (2017). They were accompanied by Tania Groppi, Vice-Chair of the Group of Independent Experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Italy). The Congress delegation met with Jussi Halla-aho, Speaker of the Parliament, Kari Kuusiniemi, President of the Supreme Administrative Court, Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki, as well as the Finnish delegation to the Congress, the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, and representatives of various ministries and institutions at all levels of government in Finland.

Finland ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1991. Countries that have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires respect for a minimum number of rights, which form the European foundation of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities ensures that these principles are respected. Finland also ratified the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority in 2012.

Contact:  Svitlana Pereverten  

 Photo gallery

“What we cannot do alone, we can achieve together.” Local leaders and economic development officers from 42 Armenian local authorities expressed optimism about the potential for intermunicipal cooperation to help deliver better services to citizens, during a series of workshops organised by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance (CEGG) in Yerevan. The workshops followed the recent awarding by the CEGG of 11 grants to local authorities in Armenia to develop feasibility studies into opportunities for intermunicipal cooperation. 

On 11 April 2024 – the same day as the launch of the Council of Europe’s comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia – a dedicated workshop on Resilience Building Strategies (ReBuS) was organised to support communities in developing effective responses to the influx of refugees from Karabakh. The Resilience Building Strategies approach is in line with the recent Congress Recommendation 510 (2024) on Local and regional responses to natural disasters and climate hazards: from risk preparedness to resilience, adopted in March 2024. At the same time, a deadline for communities hosting refugees from Karabakh to apply for a grant to address immediate and mid-term needs was extended until 19 April 2024.

These activities were organised under the Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia - Phase 2 project and the Project “Support to Communities Hosting Refugees in Armenia”,  implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Regional and Local Authorities as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026, with funding from Austrian Development Cooperation. The project aims to support the adoption of revised legislative framework for local self-government in line with European standards to reflect the new territorial-administrative map of Armenia and develop the capacities of local authorities of the newly enlarged communities to fulfil the competences and deliver the services entrusted to them under the decentralisation strategy.

“Many young people are still not able to contribute meaningfully to political debates or can only do so under agendas that they have not shaped themselves”, stressed Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori, praising in this regard the important work done by the Joint Council on Youth to overcome such shortcomings in youth participation. Addressing the Council at its 50^th meeting in the European Youth Centre Budapest on 9-10 April 2024, he underlined that many cross-overs already existed between youth activities undertaken by the Congress and intergovernmental bodies on youth, and pointed to the opportunities for reinforcing this partnership in the run-up to the Committee of Ministers’ Presidency of Malta in 2025 which aimed to put youth policies at centre stage.

Great interest in pursuing the close collaboration with the Congress was expressed by members of both the European Steering Committee for Youth and the Advisory Council on Youth which constitute the Joint Council under the co-management structure of the Council of Europe youth sector. In a dynamic exchange, the results of previous co-operation activities were recalled, for example in the areas of rural youth or youth work in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. On this occasion, the Secretary General announced the new revision of the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life – a process that had just been initiated by the Congress in this year of the 10^th anniversary of its own Youth Delegates initiative “Rejuvenating politics”.

The Law on Inter-municipal Co-operation (IMC) was one of the first steps in Ukraine’s journey of decentralisation reform. After nearly 10 years of its implementation, the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance  is revisiting this topic with its Ukrainian partners, based on a survey and analysis of the state of play in the area.

During a moderated discussion on 8 April 2024, more then 150 participants, including members of the Parliament, Government officials, as well as representatives of local authorities and their associations, civil society and experts shared their reflections and ideas. Based on the survey results, 50% of Ukrainian municipalities had some experience of inter-municipal co-operation, with most IMC projects focused on co-financing of service provision to citizens. Education, health care and utilities (including water supply and solid waste management) were priority services provided under IMC agreements. At the same time, almost 90% of respondents indicated that IMC would become crucial for the post-war recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, emphasising the need for a more structured, diverse and flexible legal regulation of this instrument, taking into account also specificities of IMC in metropolitan areas.

The Centre of Expertise will continue its support to Ukraine to improve the legal framework on IMC, with a series of thematic consultations already planned for April 2024.

The activity was organised by the Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine” in co-operation with the Specialised Parliamentary Committee on Local Self-Government. The Programme is implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026 by the Centre of Expertise at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Local authorities in Armenia need adequate financial resources of their own, part of which should be derived from the collection of local duties and fees, in line with Article 9 of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. In preparation for a revision of the Law on Local Duties and Fees, this was the conclusion of local government stakeholders meeting in Yerevan and online on 8 April 2024 for the 9^th Community Consultation. They discussed in particular priority areas for improvement to the legislation that would help local authorities develop greater financial autonomy.

An extensive survey of 71 municipalities undertaken in preparation for the meeting resulted in 37 questions and recommendations being submitted for consideration.  Contributions addressed issues ranging from practical challenges related to road construction works, or the installation of solar photovoltaic panels to enforcement and compliance measures for non-payment of dues for essential veterinary services.

Participants warned against the risks of over-regulating and stressed that, in order to promote local autonomy, local authorities should be granted sufficient discretion in setting fees and compensation for services to respond to local specificities.  The importance of having open and transparent procedures for granting exemptions to avoid corruption risks for local officials was also underlined.

The meeting was organised under the Democratic Development, Decentralisation and Good Governance in Armenia - Phase 2 project,  implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Regional and Local Authorities as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026, with funding from Austrian Development Cooperation. The project aims to support the adoption of revised legislative framework for local self-government in line with European standards to reflect the new territorial-administrative map of Armenia and develop the capacities of local authorities of the newly enlarged communities to fulfil the competences and deliver the services entrusted to them under the decentralisation strategy.

As the world marks International Roma Day on 8 April 2024, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, R, SOC/G/PD), Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights for the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, reaffirms the Congress’ commitment to protecting the rights of Roma communities.

“Roma continue to face specific challenges, including discrimination, marginalisation, and socio-economic disparities. Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in addressing these issues by fostering inclusive environments and promoting the full integration of Roma communities into local societies,” Ms Mosler-Törnström said, drawing attention to the Congress’ support for local and regional authorities in this effort through its cooperation activities.

“As we commemorate International Roma Day, the Congress calls upon all stakeholders to redouble their efforts in championing the rights and dignity of Roma people, fostering social cohesion, and building inclusive societies where diversity is celebrated and respected,” the Standing Rapporteur concluded.

In a project implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress, recommendations from the Council of Europe/European Union Joint Programme ROMACT will be addressed in a comprehensive training and capacity building curriculum being prepared for Bulgarian local government officials. By promoting dialogue, cooperation between concerned stakeholders, concerted efforts can be made to combat stereotypes, eradicate discrimination, and create pathways for Roma empowerment and participation in decision-making processes.

Earthquakes, floods, fires and droughts: while natural disasters are becoming more frequent in Europe and worldwide, local and regional elected representatives highlight the crucial need to “move from crisis management to a real risk culture” embraced by all stakeholders.  In a recommendation and a resolution debated and adopted on 28 March, the Congress put forward many proposals to that end.

As co-rapporteurs on “Local and regional responses to natural disasters and climate hazards: from risk preparedness to resilience,” Jean-Paul Bastin (Belgium, L, EPP/CCE) and Christian Debève (France, R, ILDG) based their work on the visits they paid to Türkiye and Spain in 2023, and a study of the flooding in Belgium in 2021.  They particularly stress the importance of continuous and transparent communication with the affected communities, both to improve co-ordination of relief efforts and to prevent panic.  Residents need to be better prepared at local level for natural disasters, which are becoming increasingly likely because of global warming.  With input from the youth delegates, the report focuses on the inclusion and involvement of all residents to boost the resilience of society as a whole.

Drawing on the lessons learnt from the severe flooding that devastated the Land of Lower Saxony in Germany between December and January, its Minister for the Interior, Daniela Behrens, described the regional civil defence measures, whose local roots in the worst-affected areas had facilitated the relief efforts. “Of course, we received assistance from the neighbouring Länder and several other European countries, but it is first and foremost our high level of preparedness that enabled us to respond rapidly, including through the effective co-operation between the professional emergency services and volunteer firefighters and other relief personnel, many of whom left their usual jobs to come to the aid of the residents,” she said.  Lower Saxony was now considering introducing compulsory insurance for homeowners to cover the costs of such floods, the objective being anticipation and resilience.  There were also plans to further strengthen the disaster management skills centre which had already been set up in the Interior Ministry before the latest crisis.

Improving rescue workers’ training and anticipating risks

Opening the debate, Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, L, SOC/G/PD) stressed the importance of properly documenting disaster responses and measures so as to facilitate the gathering of experience and, in this context, improve training for all involved.  Her compatriot, Joanne Louise Laban (United Kingdom, L, ECR), also called for better training for civil defence personnel.

Davit Khazhakyan (Armenia, L, ILDG) pointed out that a very large proportion of the buildings in the former Soviet republics were of a poor standard and not very resistant to hazards, in particular seismic hazards.  Nicknamed “Khruschev buildings,” these properties from the 1950s and 1960s all needed to be completely refurbished, which was very expensive but vital.  Cemal Bas (Türkiye, L, EPP/CCE) was also very critical of the standard of many buildings destroyed during the 2023 earthquakes, saying that his country had clearly neglected safety before the disaster, while paying tribute to the international support and solidarity that it had received to tackle it.

Local authorities must be involved in drawing up disaster relief plans

Two Italian members, Franco Iacop (L, SOC/G/PD) and Belinda Gottardi (L, SOC/G/PD), both said that local authorities should be more closely involved in determining preventive investments and in drawing up disaster relief plans.  Ms Gottardi said that she did not know “how many more disasters it will take until national governments finally recognise the importance of our role on the ground,” and called on the Congress to continue promoting its proposal to draft an additional protocol to the Charter concerning the environment.

The youth delegates made their voices heard, emphasising the need to train young people in disaster prevention and involve them in organising and conducting relief efforts.  The Irish youth delegate, Jack O’Connor, pointed out that governments should not just consult their usual experts when it came to anticipating crises and providing responses, but should also turn to groups that that were directly threatened or affected and give them a voice in a democratic and participatory manner, taking care to include both the youngest and the most elderly.

Lastly, in response to a question from Clemens Lammerskitten (Germany, L, EPP/CCE), Ms Behrens praised not only the interregional co-operation during the floods but also the smooth functioning of the European civil defence warning system.  “Within 36 hours, France sent us the temporary dykes we needed,” she said. She would like to go further by arranging joint exercises between countries, for instance between France and Germany or between Germany and Poland.

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46th Session
Agenda – Web file – Photos 

The thematic debate held at the Chamber of Local Authorities session on 27 March showed the need for better coordination between the different levels of governance and support for local elected representatives to respond more quickly and effectively to the triple environmental crisis of pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Nobody doubts the reality of the environmental crisis and climate change anymore.

According to the Copernicus European observatory, 2024 started with the hottest January ever recorded.  Towns and regions in Europe are being hit by natural disasters more and more frequently.  Underlining the commitment of the Congress to promote “a fundamental right to the environment”, in particular by promoting the drafting an additional protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, Bernd Voehrigner, also pointed out that the vital part played by local and regional authorities in protecting the environment had been recognised in May 2023 in the Reykjavik Declaration by Council of Europe Heads of State and Government.

Drawing on the experience shared by mayors of pioneering cities in the environmental field, such as Zurich and Reykjavik, Chamber members above all sought to provide a variety of responses in terms of resolving the tension between socioeconomic and cultural imperatives on the one hand and the Green Deal on the other.

Einar Þorsteinsson, Mayor of Reykjavik, demonstrated that preserving cultural and social traditions was not incompatible with reducing his city’s carbon footprint.  Public thermal pools, which were so important to Icelanders, were now heated with green energy.  Reykjavik had actually started developing geothermal energy in the 1930s and was now the city with the best geothermal urban heating system in the world.  In his view, improving public health through the development of pedestrian and cycle routes which encouraged physical exercise was one of the best arguments for promoting the Green Deal among the public.  It was also a key asset in the discussions aimed at drastically reducing the carbon emissions produced by cars, without, of course, forgetting the need to develop efficient and fast public transport services.  His city had set the target of reducing CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030 and a further 50% by the end of the following decade.  This goal was being supported by the development of new technologies for capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it underground.  Underling the ability of towns and cities to put pressure on central governments, in particular through transnational networks, the mayor of Reykjavik praised the role of the Congress and the Council of Europe in co-ordinating local and regional authorities’ efforts in environmental matters, notably through legal instruments to defend local self-government and fundamental human rights.

Zurich, which is often cited as one of the most sustainable cities in Europe, is also a pioneer in terms of environmental measures.  Highlighting the Swiss government’s reluctance to pass strong legislation to combat pollution and global warming, in particular owing to the electoral unpopularity of some measures, Zurich Mayor Corine Mauch presented the ambitious policy of her city which, as far back as 2008, seven years before the Paris Agreements, had already taken steps which had enabled it to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2010.  Unlike the Swiss parliament, in 2022 Zurich residents had voted in favour of the target of net zero emissions by 2040.  Regular reports by the municipal council would keep track of the progress of the policy, which included transforming the collective heating system with aid for private individuals, encouraging the circular economy and development of pedestrian neighbourhoods with local shops and services, providing 130 km of cycle paths, various measures to combat food waste and promote “sustainable eating”, support for businesses and NGOs that were partners in the city’s green policies, etc.  To fund these projects, Zurich had taken out a green loan and was also intending to reduce its energy bills.  Its mayor was therefore optimistic and convinced that local authorities could use political levers at local level to become leaders in environmental change.

Lastly, the youth delegate from Cyprus, Liana Liu Ioannides, urged her elders to provide a legal basis for and make compulsory young people’s participation in environmental policies and the Green Deal in Europe: “Young people can play a leading role, which local, regional and national authorities are depriving themselves of by often ignoring our calls and proposals.  We can help you to harmonise policies in the various member countries and also to win public support.  Losing young people’s potential means losing their trust.”  Speaking on behalf of all the Congress youth delegates, Liana Liu Ioannides said that adding an additional protocol on environmental protection to the Charter of Local Self-Government would not be enough unless compliance with the Charter and the involvement of young people in environmental decision-making were made compulsory.

Over 15 Chamber members put forward their points of view and proposals during the debate which followed the addresses.  They highlighted the primary role played by local and regional elected representatives in tackling the climate emergency, and the importance of leveraging their skills and financial resources to this end. They also stressed the need to synchronise local authorities’ action through international bodies like the Congress, in particular if the aim was to identify the best solutions for shared problems such as rising sea levels in coastal areas, coastline retreat, and the need to remove concrete and tarmac to counter flooding and urban heatwaves, etc. The war in Ukraine was also mentioned as a factor in massive ecocide that demanded concerted European aid.  Joining together and better co-ordinating the efforts of Europe’s towns, cities and local and regional authorities would also enable pressure to be put on national governments, whose environmental policies often lacked ambition. The debate confirmed the need for the Council of Europe to draw up a text committing member states to raising awareness among local elected representatives of their responsibility to opt for green local governance within the framework of their competences.

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46th Session
Agenda – Web file – Photos