Since it was set up, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has drawn up a number of international treaties, including the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which has become the international benchmark in this field, laying down common European standards to protect local authorities' rights. In the framework of its work, the Congress relies on a set of other conventions and reference texts.

The Committee of Ministers

The Committee of Ministers has adopted a range of recommendations and guidelines setting out common European standards relevant to local and regional democracy and good democratic governance. Adopted by representatives of the governments of the Council of Europe’s member States, these instruments reflect policies agreed at intergovernmental level and therefore carry considerable political authority and legitimacy.