News 2022
Bernd Vöhringer at CEPLI: “Local and regional effort will help build resilient societies in response to today’s crises”
War in Ukraine, Covid 19 pandemic, climate change, polarisation of societies – “all these crises strain the democratic foundations of our societies,” stressed Bernd Vöhringer, President of the Congress Chamber of Local Authorities, at the Political Conference of the European Confederation of...
Congress Rapporteur urges cities and regions to be safe havens for LGBTI civil society under pressure
On the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), Congress Rapporteur on LGBTI issues, Andrew Boff (United Kingdom, ECR), warned that LGBTI organisations are increasingly under threat, stressing the role of local and regional authorities in supporting them. “Even in...
Brandenburg example should be followed: reporting back to local and regional councils and parliaments plays an essential role in highlighting Congress work
On 12 May 2022, Heiner Klemp (Germany, SOC/G/DP), member of the Brandenburg Landtag and member of the German delegation to the Congress, updated the regional parliament about the decisions of the last Congress session, his participation in the local election observation mission to Serbia and the...
Council of Europe Congress provides grant support to the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia
On 16 May 2022, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) signed a grant agreement as part of their joint project on “Strengthening participatory democracy and human rights at local level in...
Vice-President Maletic at NALAS: “In these challenging times, it is more important than ever to focus on building resilient communities”
“We are living in a specific moment, characterised by multiple crisis which put the exercise of local democracy under growing constraints and pressure,” stated Congress Vice-President Aleksandra Maletic (Serbia, EPP/CCE) at the opening of the XVII General Assembly of the Network of Associations...
"Strengthening local democracy and citizen engagement serve to increase the resilience of our cities and regions" says Martine Dieschburg at the ALDA General Assembly
The Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Martine Dieschburg (Luxembourg, GILD) spoke on the topic of supporting local democracy, peace and community resilience. "We are currently living in a very special moment, characterised by multiple crises on the European...
Congress assesses the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Belgium
A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, composed of the rapporteurs Matthias Gysin (Switzerland, ILDG) and Magnus Berntsson (Sweden, EPP/CCE), will carry out a monitoring visit to Brussels, Eupen, Genk and Liège from 10 to 12 May 2022 to assess the...
Europe Day: Congress Vice-President stresses the importance of human rights protection at local level
At the 3rd European Conference on Democracy and Human Rights, organised in Kristiansand, Norway, on 5 May 2022, which is the day to mark the 73rd anniversary of the foundation of the Council of Europe, Congress Vice-President Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP/CCE) underlined the importance of...
Statement by the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Leen Verbeek on Europe Day 2022
On this Europe day, it is even more crucial to defend the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe. Europe was built on the ruins of the Second World War, a war that caused millions of deaths and terrible suffering for tens of millions of civilians. The European construction has enabled us...
Official visit to Switzerland: Council of Europe Congress President holds exchanges on challenges faced by local democracy
During an official visit to Switzerland from 30 April to 3 May 2022, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Leendert Verbeek, discussed with State Secretary at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Livia Leu the work of the Congress, the situation in Ukrainian...
Supporting Ukraine: Council of Europe Congress President meets representatives of Kyiv City Council
The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek, accompanied by the Secretary General of the Congress, Andreas Kiefer, met a delegation of representatives of the Kyiv City Council on 28 April 2022 in Strasbourg. They held an exchange of...
Council of Europe Congress assesses the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Denmark
A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, composed of rapporteurs Xavier Cadoret (France, SOC/G/PD) and Carla Dejonghe (Belgium, ILDG) conducted a monitoring visit to Copenhagen, Vejle and Nyborg from 3 to 5 May 2022 to assess the implementation of...
Congress work contributes to good democratic governance in Council of Europe Member States
“The current Congress priorities for 2021-2026 put an emphasis on environmental and social sustainability, digital revolution, as well as citizen engagement,” stressed Jelena Drenjanin (EPP/CCE), Chair of the Congress Governance Committee, at the 15th plenary meeting of the European Committee on...
Official visit of the President of the Congress of the Council of Europe to Switzerland
The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Leendert Verbeek, made an official visit to Switzerland from 30 April to 3 May 2022, accompanied by the Secretary General of the Congress, Andreas Kiefer. In Bern, the Congress President held talks with Livia Leu, Secretary of State...
Promoting gender equality for effective human rights-based local governance in Georgia
“Gender equality is a prerequisite condition for modern democracies, because ultimately, women’s rights are human rights,” stressed Congress Spokesperson on Gender Equality Eirini Dourou (Greece, SOC/G/PD) during the workshop on “Gender equality for effective human rights-based local governance”,...
Young people as defenders of human rights and democracy in times of war
“Even in times of crisis and war, not only that youth can play a role in upholding the democratic values of the Council of Europe and defending human rights, but their role is vital and unquestionable.”, said Thomas Anderson (Sweden, ILDG), Chair of the Current Affairs Committee of the Congress...
ELoGE conference: “We must guarantee the highest possible level of local democracy in our Member States,” says Gunn-Marit Helgesen
“Regular monitoring, by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and its additional protocol, as well as the observation of local and regional elections, help to ensure that the 12 principles of Good Democratic Governance...
Observation of elections - Call for secondments to the Congress
The Secretariat of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is looking for secondee from Council of Europe member States to work as Election Observation Officer Deadline for application: 20 May 2022 Applications, must be submitted in English or French via the Council of Europe's online...
Congress President addresses Council of Europe Committee of Ministers: "We must stand united to defend the values on which our Organisation is built"
During his exchange of views with the Deputies on 6 April 2022, the President of the Congress Leendert Verbeek recalled the crucial importance of the values on which the Council of Europe is built : human rights, democracy and the rule of law and underlined that the Congress will continue to...
“If we create the right tools, children can positively contribute to building their future”, says Congress rapporteur Brigitte van den Berg
“I am convinced that young children have a lot to say, and that they can shape our public policy. If we create the right tools, children can have a valuable contribution to their future,” stated Brigitte van den Berg (Netherlands, ILDG), Congress rapporteur on Children and Sustainable Cities, in...
