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.
