Monitoring presentation

 

Monitoring local and regional democracy is the most emblematic activity of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The voice of municipalities and regions, the Congress is a unique assembly in Europe responsible for ensuring the proper application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. This international convention lays down standards for protecting the rights of local authorities and requires the 46 member states of the Council of Europe - which have all ratified it - to comply with a number of principles.

  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
Role of the Congress

Role of the Congress

The Congress is responsible for evaluating the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in each member state.

This monitoring enables to establish a constructive political dialogue with the authorities of the Member States on local and regional democracy issues. Many legislative reforms have been undertaken by member states on the basis of the observations and recommendations made by Congress during the monitoring.

Read more

Regular monitoring

Regular monitoring

The Congress carries out a regular general country-by-country monitoring visit to the 46 member states approximately every five years.

It may also focus on a particular aspect of the Charter. It can also organise urgent fact-finding missions on situations of concern. The reports, recommendations and resolutions it adopts make it possible to inform governments, parliaments, associations, elected representatives and the media about the situation of local and regional democracy in specific countries and the application of the Charter by these countries.

Read more

Postmonitoring

Postmonitoring

The Congress pursues a regular "post-monitoring" and "post-electoral" political dialogue with Council of Europe member states.

The aim is to accompany the national authorities in order to ensure the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the Congress and addressed to the national authorities of member states by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In cooperation with the national authorities, the Congress prepares a road map defining the main steps to be taken to implement the recommendations.

 Read more

Local elections

Local elections

Upon invitation by competent authorities, the Congress observes local and regional elections in Council of Europe member states and sometimes beyond.

To date, nearly 100 election observation missions have been conducted by the Congress. The observation of local elections is one of the priorities of the Congress' action. It is complementary to the political monitoring process of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which is the cornerstone of local democracy in Europe.

 Read more

Recurring issues

Recurring issues

Several recurring problems were identified by the Congress during its missions to evaluate the implementation of the Charter from 2010 to 2016.

This analysis enables the Congress to identify, in form of a horizontal study, those areas of the
Charter that member States find most challenging and to assist them in fully complying with their
commitments in relation to local and regional democracy.

 Read more

Human rights

Human rights

In addition to monitoring, the Congress takes into consideration the human rights situation at local and regional level in Europe.

The Congress has also produced a Human Rights Handbook, the first volume of which is devoted to the right to non-discrimination against three groups: refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants; Roma and Travellers; and LGBTI persons. It includes a presentation of the legal framework and the role that local and regional authorities can play, as well as 65 good practices implemented in more than 25 countries.

 Read more

News

Back Albania: substantial progress made, but responsibilities between central and local levels need to be clearly divided

Albania: substantial progress made, but responsibilities between central and local levels need to be clearly divided

Albania has achieved substantial decentralisation progress, but more efforts, particularly in clarifying responsibilities between central and local authorities, need to be made, concludes a report approved by the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities today.

The report and recommendation presented by the co-rapporteurs Xavier Cadoret (France, SOC/G/PD) and Carla Dejonghe (Belgium, ILDG) welcomed the successful implementation of the 2015-2020 comprehensive decentralisation and local governance strategy and the ensuing reforms of the legislation on local self-government.

Carla Dejonghe noted that there is considerable room for improvement, in particular in further clarifying the allocation of functions between central and local levels since the powers delegated to the local authorities are exercised under the close supervision of various ministries, limiting local authorities’ room for initiative. They also regretted that the regional tier of government has not benefited fully from territorial reforms of recent years.

Xavier Cadoret underlined that municipalities have insufficient financial resources to meet their needs and human resources continue to pose problems, particularly in rural areas

In its recommendation, the Congress invites the government to continue the decentralisation process and to further harmonise the legislation on the division of responsibilities between central and local authorities. The national authorities are recommended to revise the local government salary structure to allow more flexibility for recruiting and retaining qualified staff.

Albania is also urged to ratify the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority

Albanian Deputy Minister of Interior Romina Kuko addressed the Congress plenary after the vote and replied to the questions from the floor.
 

Press contact: Dušan Vojnović, Press Officer, Directorate of Communications, Council of Europe, tel. +33 6 61 03 83 00

 Videos: Debate | Speech Romina Kuko

*** 41st Session of the Congress***
Agenda - Documents : ENG | FRA | DEU | ITA | RUS
File 41st Session : live webcast, photos, videos and useful links

41st Session Strasbourg, France 28 October 2021
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
The Charter, how it works

Through its core principles to which no reservation is possible, the European Charter of Local Self-Government (ECLSG) seeks to ensure the compatibility of the diverse structures of local communities in the Council of Europe member states. However, the final aim remains the respect of all of the Charter’s provisions.

 The Charter, how it works

Additional Protocol

An Additional Protocol on the right to participate at public life was adopted in 2009 to supplement the text of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Its purpose is to bring within the scope of the Charter the right of any person to participate in the affairs of a local authority, a principle enshrined in the Preamble to the Charter.

 Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority

CARTA-MONITOR
Database of the Monitoring reports by country

 CARTA-MONITOR

 Leaflet

Reports
46 ratifications

Opened for signature on 15 October 1985 and entered into force on 1 September 1988, the Charter is ratified by all 46 Council of Europe member states.

 European Charter of Local Self- Government

Monitoring Committee

The Committee on the Monitoring of the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and on the respect of Human Rights and the Rule of Law at local and regional levels (Monitoring Committee)  is responsible for assessing the application of the Charter and its Additional Protocol.

 Monitoring Committee

The organisation of the monitoring procedures is detailed in Chapter XVIII of the Congress' Rules and Procedures.

CONTACT

Svitlana Pereverten
Committee Secretary