News 2025
Season’s greetings
Season’s greetings and best wishes for a peaceful and joyful holiday season from the Secretariat of the Congress of the Council of Europe! We look forward to continuing our cooperation in 2026!
Congress concludes series of workshops to support future democratic local governance in Belarus
The Congress has completed a series of three online thematic workshops designed to support Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in their efforts to transform the local self-government system for a future democratic Belarus. The training programme was specifically dedicated to the...
Congress Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus meets Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in Poland
Congress Vice-President and Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD) carried out a study visit in Poland on 8-10 December 2025 to assess the situation of Belarusian democratic forces (BDF) and civil society in exile and their co-operation with local and regional...
International Migrants Day 2025
“Against the background of rising rhetoric of intolerance towards migrants, we call on local and regional authorities, jointly with their national governments, to recognise the contributions and opportunities of migration,” stated Heather Brannan-McVey (United Kingdom, L, SOC/G/PD) and Kristoffer...
Record number of young people apply to Congress youth delegates’ programme
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has received a record-breaking number of applications for its “Rejuvenating Politics” initiative for 2026. By the 15 December deadline, 830 applications had been submitted from 46 member states and one Partner for Local...
Congress President welcomes the establishment of a Claims Commission for Ukraine
“The opening for signature of a new convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine is a concrete and meaningful fulfilment of the commitments made at the Reykjavik Summit,” said Congress President Marc Cools at a diplomatic conference organised by the Council of Europe and...
Congress welcomes the update of Ukraine’s Decentralisation Reform Concept
“The Congress welcomes the Ukraine’s government new resolution to revamp the Decentralisation Reform Concept. This is a strong step towards advancing this fundamental reform and achieving a balanced multilevel governance system in Ukraine. We are proud to have helped Ukraine to prepare and to...
Eight Moldovan municipalities establish partnerships with the Congress to strengthen civil participation
Eight local authorities in the Republic of Moldova formalised their commitment to strengthening inclusive and participatory local governance, by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The ceremony to mark the signing...
Congress President welcomes launch of European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at Local Level
“This vital initiative will actively defend democracy—especially at the local level,” underlined Congress President Marc Cools welcoming the launch of the European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at the Local Level, in Brussels on 11 December 2025. Speaking at the launching ceremony...
New Congress report on human rights at local level in the Republic of Moldova presented at Human Rights Forum
On 10 December, International Human Rights Day, Congress Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD) took part in the Human Rights and Equality Forum in Bălți, Republic of Moldova, organised by the People’s Advocate (Ombudsperson), the Council for Preventing...
Congress Secretary General in Ukraine: Implementation of human rights is a local task
“European integration is about ensuring that the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Charter of Local Self-Government are realised in the daily lives of citizens. When we talk about the right to housing, health, education, or water and sanitation, we are...
Congress at the Ministerial: Successful integration of migrants guarantees security and prosperity for our communities
“The issue of migration is central to our democratic institutions because it forces us to consider the best way to guarantee essential rights and freedoms while ensuring that our societies feel peaceful, secure and respectful of their diversity,” stated Congress Vice-President Xavier Cadoret...
Congress at Ukraine’s Municipal Forum: A strong Ukraine requires strong municipalities
“Today, the Congress and Ukraine are no longer just partners in reform – we are partners in recovery and reconstruction. A strong Ukraine requires strong municipalities, and years of decentralisation reform is exactly what saved your country in the early days of the invasion. Because you had the...
The President of the Congress at the AER: Current challenges require increased interregional cooperation
"What future for regional democracy and cooperation between European regions?" This was the theme of the debate organised on 9 December in Brussels by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) to mark its 40th anniversary. Addressing the Assembly, the President of the Congress, Marc Cools, stressed...
Human Rights Day 2025: Our Everyday Essentials
“Today, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe reaffirms its determination to confront any attempt to erode the essential rights on which Europe is built. Protecting human rights is our shared duty, to every citizen, in every municipality and region, every day”,...
Congress Rapporteurs call for more investment in age-friendly communities
Speaking at the conference on “Inclusive and Sustainable Care for Older Persons” organised by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) in Strasbourg on 9 December 2025, Congress Rapporteur on “Ageing Communities”, Joanne Laban (United Kingdom, ECR), and Deputy Standing Rapporteur on Human...
Local Self-Government Day: Congress Vice-President calls on Ukraine to pursue decentralisation reform
“The decentralisation reform in Ukraine should be continued and – in the future, when time allows – decentralised local self-government should be rooted in the country’s Constitution,” stated Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD), Congress Vice-President and President of its Chamber of Regions,...
International Anti-Corruption Day 2025: Council of Europe Congress calls for strengthening integrity at the local level
The Congress Spokesperson on Ethics and the Prevention of Corruption, Danela Arsovska, (North Macedonia, EPP/CCE), issued a statement on the occasion of 9 December, International Anti-Corruption Day. “Across Europe, a combination of indicators, including public opinion surveys and declining voter...
Action by every level of government needed now to address the housing crisis
“The current housing crisis in most European countries must be addressed urgently as the lack of access to affordable housing affects an ever-increasing proportion of the population. Otherwise, this situation is likely to fuel stronger feelings of social injustice and discrimination and to...
The foundations of democracy: forty years of the European Charter of Local Self-Government – podcast
40 years ago, the European Charter of Local Self-Government was opened for signature — a milestone that guarantees the rights and autonomy of local authorities across Europe. To mark this anniversary, Congress Vice-President Gunn Marit Helgesen discussed local democracy and the importance of the...
