Council of Europe Congress to observe local elections in Türkiye

Council of Europe Congress to observe local elections in Türkiye

A twenty-member delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will carry out a mission from 29 March until 1 April to observe local elections in various regions of Türkiye held on 31 March 2024. The delegation will be accompanied by an expert and the secretariat.

Prior to the onsite deployment, the delegation, led by David Eray (Switzerland, EPP/CCE), held online meetings with members of the delegation of Türkiye to the Congress, representatives of the Radio and Television Supreme Council and of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, as well as with representatives of domestic NGOs and the media.

In the run-up to Election Day, the delegation will also hold exchanges in Ankara with various stakeholders, including national and local authorities, as well as with candidates and representatives of political parties running in the elections.

On Election Day, 12 Congress teams will be deployed to monitor the election procedures in polling stations, from opening to closing and counting, in different areas throughout the country.

A press conference presenting the findings of the delegation will take place on 1 April at 11:00 at the Hilton Hotel in Ankara (Kavaklıdere, Tahran Cd. No:12, 06700 Çankaya/Ankara). A press release will be published on the Congress website.

 

Congress Delegation:

Mr David ERAY, Switzerland, EPP/CCE, R, Head of Delegation

Mr Vladimir PREBILIC, Slovenia, SOC/G/PD, L, Deputy Head of Delegation

Mr Mathieu CUIP, France, EPP/CCE, R

Ms Dusica DAVIDOVIC, Serbia, SOC/G/PD, R

Ms Carla DEJONGHE, Belgium, ILDG, R

Mr Jonathan DENIS, United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD, L

Ms Jacqueline FEHR, Switzerland, SOC/G/PD, R

Ms Jana FISCHEROVA, Czechia, ECR, L

Ms Cecilia FRIDERICS, Hungary, ECR, L

Ms Tanja JOONA, Finland, ILDG, L

Mr James MOLONEY, Ireland, ILDG, L

Mr Michael ROSENBERG, Sweden, ECR, L

Mr Soeren SCHUMACHER, Germany, SOC/G/PD, R

Mr Igor STOJANOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOC/G/PD, R

Ms Augusta TADDEI, San Marino, NR, L

Mr Kristoffer TAMSONS, Sweden, EPP/CCE, R

Ms Linda TAYLOR, United Kingdom, ECR, L

Ms Sevdia UGREKHELIDZE, Georgia, EPP/CCE, L

Mr Leendert VERBEEK, Netherlands, SOC/G/PD, R

Mr Richard VERES, Czechia, ILDG, L

Expert:

Mr Ulrik KJÆR, Professor, Congress expert on electoral matters

See alsoCongress webpage on the observation of local and regional elections

ContactStephanie Poirel

Strasbourg, France 18 March 2024
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10 years of Crimea’s illegal annexation: Statement by the Congress President

10 years of Crimea’s illegal annexation: Statement by the Congress President

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, has made the following statement:

“Ten years ago, on 16 March 2014, the illegal referendum in the Ukrainian region of Crimea, organised at Russian gunpoint, set off a spiral of violence leading to Crimea’s illegal annexation by Russia two days later and eventually to the Russian Federation’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine through which we are living today.”

“In 2014, the Congress strongly condemned the annexation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Today, we stand united with Ukraine and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.”

Ukraine Strasbourg, France 15 March 2024
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Congress Secretary General signs an MoU with UNECE

Congress Secretary General signs an MoU with UNECE

On 14 March 2024, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Congress Secretariat and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). This MoU builds upon an existing successful partnership and aims at strengthening the role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, strengthen multilevel governance,  reduce societal inequalities and take action on local environmental issues.

Mathieu Mori took the opportunity to speak at the United Nations Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Geneva. This forum brings together governments and stakeholders across the European region to discuss impactful and crisis-resilient policies to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

He stressed how local and regional authorities help deliver Goal 16 on Promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies and presented the work of the Congress on promoting multi-level governance to ensure effective, accountable, and inclusive governance. Secretary General Mori stressed the importance of the European Charter of Local Self-Government as a Council of Europe key convention on promoting local self-governance and human rights and the role of the Congress in promoting and protecting its implementation in the 46 CoE Member States.

 Round Table on SDG 16 - Regional Forum 2024 | UN Web TV

Strasbourg, France 15 March 2024
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Congress supports de-occupied and temporarily occupied communities of Ukraine

Congress supports de-occupied and temporarily occupied communities of Ukraine

The newly established Committee for the development of de-occupied and temporarily occupied communities of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) held its first meeting in Kyiv, on 12-13 March 2024, with the participation of the Chair of the Congress Current Affairs Committee, Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD). She commended the resilience of Ukrainian local authorities and reiterated the Congress’ support in their future endeavours, stressing that “the severity and complexity of the needs call for strong multilevel governance and for the involvement of all stakeholders at the local level, to restore and deliver much needed services for all residents”.

Attended by mayors and local officials of about 60 communities from 9 regions, as well as representatives of the Parliament and the Government of Ukraine, the meeting served as a platform to address pressing issues faced by the country’s de-occupied and temporarily occupied communities – such as housing, access to employment, and education.

The AUC Committee agreed on its terms of reference, with includes strengthening intermunicipal cooperation and continuing multilevel dialogue with representatives of the Parliament and of the Government.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities works closely with local authorities all over Ukraine and with the Association of Ukrainian Cities as part of the project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine” implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. The project aims to strengthen the dialogue, partnership and consultation between different levels of government; enhance collaborative governance and citizen participation in line with the principles of local democracy and open government; and promote and guarantee the right to equality and non-discrimination at local level, for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

Ukraine Strasbourg, France 14 March 2024
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Congress President condemns plans for Russian presidential elections in occupied Ukrainian regions

Congress President condemns plans for Russian presidential elections in occupied Ukrainian regions

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, has made the following statement:

“I strongly condemn the plans by the Russian Federation to organise presidential elections in the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine.”

“The illegal conduct of such so-called elections and compelling the citizens of Ukraine to vote in them represents a gross violation of international law and the rights of citizens protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, and yet another attempt by the Russian Federation to legalise the temporary occupation and annexation of Ukrainian territories.”

These plans have also been condemned by the Congress Bureau in its Declaration on the second anniversary of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, which will be debated during the 46th Congress session in Strasbourg, 26-28 March 2024.

“These so-called elections coincide with ten years since the annexation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in 2014, which the Congress strongly condemned.”

“I reiterate that we stand united with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people at this decisive time.”

Strasbourg, France 27 February 2024
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Grants to Armenian municipalities hosting refugees: Call for projects

Karabakh Armenians at a shelter in the city of Aghavnadzor in the Kotayk province of Armenia

Karabakh Armenians at a shelter in the city of Aghavnadzor in the Kotayk province of Armenia

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, in line with its commitment to support Karabakh Armenians and its “readiness to assist, using all statutory, cooperation and political tools at its disposal” (Declaration 7 (2023) has launched a grant scheme in support of municipalities hosting refugees from Karabakh in Armenia.

Through a project implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance in the context of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026, Armenian local authorities can apply for grants to implement projects that help build resilience and respond to their urgent and mid-term needs in support of refugees, ensuring protection of their human rights and overcoming challenges related to education, shelter and housing, social services, employment and integration.  

The deadline for submission of applications is 12 April 2024. More details on the call can be found on the webpage of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan

Centre of Expertise for Good Governance Strasbourg, France 12 March 2024
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Strengthening municipal capacities in Bulgaria

Strengthening municipal capacities in Bulgaria

“We need good governance: without good governance, fiscal decentralisation is meaningless”, stated a representative from the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, setting the tone for discussion of the results of a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) of local authorities in that country, at a workshop held in Sofia on 29 February 2024. 

The TNA, carried out  by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance (CEGG) at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe under the joint EU/CoE project “Developing fiscal decentralisation and improving local financial management in Bulgaria, was presented to stakeholders from national training entities, associations of local authorities, central government and civil society.

The outcomes of the TNA underscored the imperative for Bulgaria to craft a National Training Strategy for local government, and consider establishing a dedicated agency to oversee its implementation and help strengthen the institutional capacities of local authorities in line with #SDG16.

Following the workshop, the CEGG trained 15 participants on Participatory budgeting, as a potent instrument aligning to several of the 12 principles of Good Governance.

The activities were organised with the support of the project grantees, the Foundation for Local Government Reform and the Citizen Participation Forum.

Centre of Expertise for Good Governance Sofia, Bulgaria 12 March 2024
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Congress supports multi-level governance on migration management in the Republic of Moldova

Congress supports multi-level governance on migration management in the Republic of Moldova

Migration-related challenges and the development of comprehensive integration solutions were discussed at a roundtable on “Building resilience at local level through migration management and inclusion” organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Chisinau, on 5 March 2024. The event provided a platform for reflection for 100 representatives of the government, the Parliament, local authorities, the Ombudsperson and civil society. They outlined the importance of multilevel co-operation for effective migration management that upholds the human rights of all residents, including migrants and refugees.

The Secretary General of the Congress, Mathieu Mori, highlighted the key role of local authorities in migration management, and the importance of building synergies across public institutions, with relevant stakeholders and between countries. He reiterated the Congress support to authorities at all levels in developing sustainable, human-rights centred and democratic solutions.  

Participants were joined by local elected representatives and experts from Poland and Romania who provided valuable insights on fostering multi-dimensional inclusion. They also discussed the conclusions of a country-specific baseline report conducted in the Republic of Moldova with Congress support.

On the occasion of the roundtable, the Congress Secretary General held meetings with with relevant stakeholders notably in view of the Congress contribution to the forthcoming Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova. He met representatives of the State Chancellery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Parliament, CALM, the Ombudsperson, civil society, as well as members of the international community. These stakeholders shared their commitment to pursue multi-level governance in the country and agreed that a consolidated institutionalised dialogue between central and local authorities will also reinforce the country’s efforts to fulfil its obligations as a Council of Europe member State and as part of the EU accession process.

The event was organised by the Congress as part of two co-operation projects “Reinforcing the culture of dialogue and ethical open local governance in the Republic of Moldova” and “Strengthening resilience in local and regional authorities facing migration challenges”; and in partnership with CALM within the framework of the quadripartite Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Congress and the national associations of local authorities from  Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Romania.

 

 Photo gallery

Strasbourg, France 7 March 2024
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More women in politics, a shared battle

More women in politics, a shared battle

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024, 8 March, Congress Thematic Spokesperson on Gender Equality Eirini Dourou (Greece, SOC/G/PD) made the following statement:

“On this year’s International Women’s Day, we echo the words of the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy and call for full, equal and meaningful participation in political and public life for all, in particular for women and girls. We cannot “inspire inclusion” if women and girls are not fully represented in our democratic institutions. This is a shared battle to be embraced by all.

As local and regional authorities, we have a key role to play in accelerating women’s political careers. Helping them to develop their capacities and bolster their representation and visibility at regional and national level is a sure way to see their numbers increase in our parliaments and governments.  

Young women in particular should be given the opportunity and the support to stand for local office, as they are still the least represented amongst political leadership. As locally and regionally elected representatives having paved the way, we should now stand with young women, mentor them and encourage them to take up the space they deserve.

We all need to do better in order to ensure that higher rates of women in local politics do not need to be specially celebrated in the future, but rather become part of the norm.”

In 2020, the Congress adopted a report on “Fighting sexist violence against women in politics at local and regional level” and developed a guide on preventing and combatting sexism at local level in Ukraine, which has since been adapted to offer guidance for women and men in local politics in Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in Kosovo*.

International Women's Day 2024 campaign theme is 'Inspire Inclusion'

Strasbourg, France 7 March 2024
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Citizens' Assemblies in Banja Luka and Mostar spark local innovation

Citizens' Assemblies in Banja Luka and Mostar spark local innovation

Citizens’ Assemblies in Banja Luka and Mostar ended after three weekends of deliberations. They each provided a platform for joint policy development and co-creative decision-making between local authorities and citizens.

The Mostar Assembly focused on how to make the city a more attractive and long-term-stay destination for visitors, while in Banja Luka 35 citizens debated on how to support youth entrepreneurship in the city.  Both produced a set of recommendations addressed to the respective local authorities.

The Congress will continue supporting the cities of Banja Luka and Mostar in the implementation of the recommendations produced by the Assemblies and the sustainability of such processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

These activities were organised in the framework of the project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.

  Website of Mostar Citizens’ Assembly

  Website of Banja Luka Citizens’ Assembly

 Recommendation : the City of Banja Luka

 Recommendation : the City of Mostar

Strasbourg, France 4 March 2024
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Strengthening local finance in Hungary

Strengthening local finance in Hungary

The Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ) and the Council of Europe exchanged on key policies and practice with regard to local government finance. Organised by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the project aims to strengthen good governance at all levels in line with the Reykjavik declaration and the relevant Council of Europe standards such as the Principles of Good Democratic Governance, adopted by the Council of Europe in 2023.

Local government associations and representatives from the Ministry of Public Administration and Territorial Development, Ministry of Finance, The Hungarian State Treasury and State Audit reviewed the findings of the recent Peer Review discussed the design of the new Local Government Data Platform (LGDP) and highlighted the shared priority of improving the quality of local data.

The  ‘Local Government Public Finance Development and Municipal Capacity Building in Hungary’ project is co-funded by the European Commission’s DG REFORM via the Technical Support Instrument 2022 and by the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance

Centre of Expertise for Good Governance Strasbourg, France 4 March 2024
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European Local Democracy Week: Annual Coordination Meeting highlights local communities' efforts in fostering resilience and citizen participation

European Local Democracy Week: Annual Coordination Meeting highlights local communities' efforts in fostering resilience and citizen participation

The Annual Coordination Meeting of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), held on 27 February 2024 in Strasbourg, France, brought together representatives of municipalities and associations of local authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Türkiye and Ukraine that took an active part in this Congress initiative in the past year.

Opening the meeting, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori thanked the participants for their steadfast commitment to local democracy despite the numerous challenges they faced, underlining in particular the participation of two Ukrainian municipalities (Kyiv and Lviv). He pointed out that “local authorities are consistently finding themselves at the forefront, mitigating the impact of crises while addressing their citizens’ needs and expectations, which underscores the importance of building resilient local governments able to provide meaningful, efficient, inclusive, and sustainable responses in crisis situations”.

Véronique Bertholle, Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg and Congress Deputy Spokesperson on Youth, who moderated the meeting, congratulated the 51 participants from 18 countries for organising a total of 276 activities throughout the year. “The dedication you demonstrate in organising ELDW events with citizens’ engagement is immensely significant. Your efforts and commitment to bolster democratic participation and share best practices, even amidst challenging circumstances, significantly contribute to the objective of increasing the resilience and inclusiveness of your communities”, she stressed.

The theme for the 2023-2024 European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) edition is “Local communities: putting democratic resilience at the forefront". Participants presented their best practices and a range of related activities, including interactive educational events, participatory budgeting, consultation platforms and surveys, as well as meetings between mayors and young citizens from their communities, among others.

Participants were informed about the Council of Europe initiative “ELoGE” (European Label of Governance Excellence), and held a debate on youth involvement in local decision-making processes, introduced by Alice Bergholtz, Senior Project Officer in the Youth Department of the Council of Europe. She pointed out that “the Congress is a prominent actor when it comes to listening to young people and involving the youth perspective in the discussions”. She also presented the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life and the Guidelines on Youth Participation, stressing that the active participation of young people in actions at local and regional levels is essential to building democratic inclusiveness.

At the end of the meeting, the certificate of “Partner of the European Local Democracy Week 2023” was awarded to 14 municipalities and associations in recognition of their commitment to the ELDW and of their work for the promotion of local democracy in 2023.

The European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) is a pan-European initiative co-ordinated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe since 2007. Throughout the year, municipalities and their national associations are invited to organise initiatives all over Europe aimed at promoting citizen participation, fostering dialogue between the community and public authorities, strengthening trust in elected representatives and institutions and providing a European dimension to local initiatives. A flagship event takes place during the week of 15 October, the date of the signature of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1985.

 FLIKR Gallery

Strasbourg, France 1 March 2024
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New Council of Europe Opinion on the draft law on the reform of Local State Administrations in Ukraine

New Council of Europe Opinion on the draft law on the reform of Local State Administrations in Ukraine

The new Council of Europe’s Opinion on the draft law “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Local State Administrations” and Other Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Reforming Territorial Organisation of Executive Power in Ukraine” was released on 21 February 2024.

The document was prepared by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance (CEGG), which operates within the secretariat of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. It came in response to a request from the Specialised Parliamentary Committee on Local Self-Government.

The opinion focuses on assessing the compliance of the revised version of the draft law with the European Charter on Local Self-Government, especially in the field of administrative supervision of local authorities’ activities, as well as with the main Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation on this issue.

The Council of Europe’s new Opinion was prepared within the framework of the Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine”, implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.

The opinion contributes to the fundamental review of the system of sub-national representation of the State and introduction of legality supervision over local authorities’ activities, which is back on Ukraine’s policy design agenda. The multi-stakeholder dialogue under facilitation by the Council of Europe first took place in 2018. Since then the CEGG organised and moderated a series of discussions on this matter with national partners, produced several legal opinions and policy advice reports. The recent round of debate took place within the High-Level Dialogue on good democratic governance, launched in November 2022.

Strasbourg, France 26 February 2024
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Congress President denounces so-called local elections in Belarus

Congress President denounces so-called local elections in Belarus

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, has made the following statement:

“The so-called local elections organised in Belarus on 25 February 2024 are nothing but a sham. Without freedoms of speech, assembly and association, without genuine opposition and independent media, and in the absence of democratic standards guiding the electoral process, they cannot be considered as free and fair.”

“I condemn the on-going repression by the Lukashenka regime against the Belarusian people and express deep concern for the fate of all political prisoners in Belarus. I convey my full support to their families and to all people affected by the crimes and actions of the Lukashenka regime.”

“The Congress remains committed to support the Belarusian democratic forces, and we look forward to joint activities within the framework of the Council of Europe Contact Group on co-operation with Representatives of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society. It is our hope that one day we can welcome a future democratic Belarus as a member of the Council of Europe.”

Strasbourg, France 26 February 2024
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Ukrainian cities and regions: courage and resilience in the face of the invasion

Ukrainian cities and regions: courage and resilience in the face of the invasion

In the days preceding 24 February 2024 – two years since the beginning of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, members of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress share their testimonies of remarkable courage and resilience in resisting the brutal invasion and serving their citizens in dire circumstances, as they appeal for solidarity and support to cities and regions in other European countries.

 Testimonials

Ukraine Strasbourg, France 23 february 2024
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Involving young people in local politics

Involving young people in local politics

“Local authorities and civil society organisations truly bring European values to life in local communities, and involving young people in local policymaking is crucial because they are already amongst those shaping tomorrow’s communities,” emphasised Véronique Bertholle, Deputy Spokesperson on Youth of the Congress, speaking at the European Conference on Local Youth Work and Democracy in Brussels on 22 February 2024.

Organised in Brussels under the Belgian EU Presidency from 20 to 23 February 2024, this major event brought together more than 300 participants for a mutual learning experience about quality youth work and meaningful youth participation. Taking part in a panel discussion with European youth workers and experts on municipal policies, with the specific theme “What does Europe offer to municipalities in the field of youth?", Ms Bertholle outlined past, current and upcoming Congress activities promoting youth work and youth participation. She reminded participants that Europe could notably offer platforms for the exchange of good practice to municipalities that would help people to think out ‘of the box’.

 

Strasbourg, France 23 February 2024
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Two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Declaration of the Congress Bureau

Flags in memory of fallen soldiers, the Independence Square in Kyiv

Flags in memory of fallen soldiers, the Independence Square in Kyiv

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Marc Cools, made the following statement today:

“24 February 2024 will mark two years since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On this occasion, the Congress Bureau adopted a Declaration in which it reiterated its condemnation of the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

“In the two years since it was launched, this brutal war has caused the loss of tens of thousands of innocent lives as well as massive destruction throughout Ukraine, forcing millions of people to flee their homes and spreading violence and disinformation, with dramatic long-term repercussions on cities and communities in Ukraine and worldwide.  

“In its Declaration, the Bureau highlighted the critical importance of seeking justice for victims and holding Russia accountable and welcomed the establishment of the Register of Damage for Ukraine, whose action it will support by making sure claims can be taken swiftly including through local and regional authorities.

“The Bureau again joined the international community’s call for the Russian Federation to end its unjustified and unprovoked war against Ukraine and withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine immediately, fully and unconditionally, and condemned the horrific war crimes as well as acts of possible genocide that have been committed by Russian forces.

“The Bureau deplored in particular the impact of the war on the children of Ukraine, including those who have been internally displaced, forced to flee Ukraine, separated from their families and/or forcibly deported by the Russian authorities, and called on local and regional authorities where these children are presently living to take comprehensive action to protect them.

“The Bureau reiterated its solidarity with Ukrainian citizens and their elected leaders, who continue to demonstrate extraordinary courage and resilience in defending their country against the aggressor State, and called on European cities and regions to continue providing large-scale financial, security and humanitarian assistance to their Ukrainian counterparts, including through possible direct, multi-faceted partnerships.

“The Bureau expressed its support for Ukraine’s reform efforts as part of its request for accession to the European Union as well as its firm belief that Ukraine’s decentralisation and local self-government reform significantly contributes to its resilience at local and regional levels, and underlined the importance of pursuing the reform process during the post-war recovery.

“The Bureau stands by the Ukrainian people at this historically decisive time for Ukraine and the world and believes in a common, democratic future based on respect for international law and a just peace.”

See also:

Ukraine Strasbourg, France 22 February 2024
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Congress Current Affairs Committee adopts report on local resilience to natural disasters

Congress Current Affairs Committee adopts report on local resilience to natural disasters

Meeting online on 20 February 2024, the Current Affairs Committee adopted the draft report on “Local and regional responses to natural disasters and climate hazards: from risk preparedness to resilience”, prepared by Jean-Paul BASTIN (Belgium, EPP/CCE) and Christian DEBEVE (France, ILDG). The report, which will be debated by the Congress in plenary on 28 March 2024, examines the main challenges faced by local and regional authorities in specific crisis situations, including natural disasters such as earthquakes, but also extreme floodings and other climate-related hazards.

The report promotes the idea that responses by local and regional authorities need to be provided in co-operation with other levels of governance and partners in the community, and that ecological, social, and economic transitions will be essential elements of a structural crisis response.

The Committee also held an exchange of views on the role of local and regional authorities in combatting human trafficking, with the participation of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The Committee members furthermore heard from the 2023 Congress Youth Delegates about youth engagement and key challenges faced by young people – such as access to social services and housing – and discussed how local and regional authorities address them.

Strasbourg, France 21 February 2024
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Council of Europe Congress monitors the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Latvia

Council of Europe Congress monitors the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Latvia

A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe composed of rapporteurs Jorge Sequeira (Portugal, SOC/G/PD) and Gobnait Ni Mhuimneacain (Ireland, ILDG), carried out a monitoring visit to Latvia from 20 to 22 February 2024 to assess the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The delegation met, among others, with the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Minister of Finance, the Speaker of the Parliament and the President of the Constitutional Court. The rapporteurs also held an exchange of views with representatives of Latvian local and regional authorities.

Latvia ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1996. Countries that have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires respect for a minimum number of rights, which form the European foundation of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities ensures that these principles are respected.

Contact Svitlana Pereverten  

  Photo gallery

Monitoring Strasbourg, France 19 February 2024
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Congress President pays tribute to Mr Cătălin Toma

Congress President pays tribute to Mr Cătălin Toma

“I am deeply saddened by the sudden passing on 17 February 2024 of Congress member Mr Cătălin Toma, President of the Vrancea County Council of Romania”, said Congress President, Marc Cools, today.

“ Mr Toma joined the Congress in March 2021, as a member of its Chamber of Regions. He was the Head of the Romanian national delegation to the Congress and was elected first vice-chairperson of the Governance Committee in October 2023.

“He will be remembered by his colleagues in the Congress for his kindness and dedication to our work and to the values of the Council of Europe, which quickly won him the respect of his peers.

“On behalf of the Congress, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to Mr Toma’s family and to all those who were close to him,” said the President.

Governance Committee Strasbourg, France 19 February 2024
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Congress President dismayed at the death of Alexeï Navalny in Russia

Congress President dismayed at the death of Alexeï Navalny in Russia

Congress President Marc Cools has made the following statement today:

“I am shocked and dismayed by the news of the death of Alexeï Navalny in a Russian prison. On behalf of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, I express my deep condolences to his family. Alexeï Navalny stood for the freedom of expression and fundamental values of our democracies, which must be upheld at all levels.”

Strasbourg, France 16 February 2024
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Congress supports ten Ukrainian municipalities in rights-based inclusive decision-making

Congress supports ten Ukrainian municipalities in rights-based inclusive decision-making

Ten local authorities from eight Ukrainian oblasts celebrated the launch of their local initiatives to implement a human rights-based approach and open government principles at local level, during a workshop on 14-15 February in Lviv, Ukraine.

A peer workshop organised as part of the Congress co-operation project presented an opportunity for exchanges between 21 representatives of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Bilshivtsi, Dunaivtsi, Fastiv, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Kyiv, Poltava, Shpola, Ternopil, and Zviahel. The participants discussed ways to lead the change by embracing innovative and inclusive processes, transparent decision-making, co-creation, and citizen-oriented action. The workshop was also the occasion to reflect on the key components of successful project management and grant implementation. All participants agreed to pursue such exchanges throughout the local initiatives scheme, highlighting the added value of regular peer consultations.

The local initiatives are aimed at developing e-governance tools, fostering the participation of underrepresented groups such as youth and internally displaced persons, protecting the rights of veterans, and reinforcing social cohesion. They will be implemented from February to September 2024. Alongside a grant, the ten selected municipalities will benefit from targeted experts’ support in the development of tools, mechanisms, and policies that will strengthen their democratic innovations, communication skills, and financial management.

The local initiatives are implemented as part of the project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine”, implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. The project aims to strengthen the dialogue, partnership and consultation between different levels of government; enhance collaborative governance and citizen participation in line with the principles of local democracy and open government; and promote and guarantee the right to equality and non-discrimination at local level, for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

Ukraine Strasbourg, France 16 February 2024
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Local and regional democracy in Andorra, Croatia, France, Italy and Montenegro

Local and regional democracy in Andorra, Croatia, France, Italy and Montenegro

The Monitoring Committee of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities chaired by Thibaut Guignard (France, EPP/CCE) met on 14 February 2024 in Strasbourg, France.

The Committee members examined reports on the monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Andorra, Croatia, France, Italy and Montenegro, as well as a report on the observation of local elections in the Republic of Moldova (5 November 2023). These reports will be debated during the 46th Session of the Congress to be held in Strasbourg from 26 to 28 March 2024.

The agenda included exchanges of views on the current situation in municipalities and regions in Ukraine, the situation of local and regional democracy in Spain and in the Republic of Moldova, the compliance by member States with the European Charter of Local Self–Government notably in Slovenia and with electoral standards in Serbia, as well as the Congress contribution to the execution of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights at local level.

The Committee further had an exchange on its work plan of monitoring visits and local elections observation in 2024-2025 and elected John CROWE (Ireland, EPP/CCE) as its 5th Vice-Chair.

Monitoring Committee Strasbourg, France 15 February 2024
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Congress ready to implement Summit decisions

Congress ready to implement Summit decisions

"If local democracy is strengthened, if human rights are implemented at all levels, if young people regain a taste for political involvement, and if our democracies put in place new forms of citizen participation, this will mean that we are ensuring a genuine follow-up, in the field, to the commitments made in Reykjavik - and the Congress is ready to take up these major challenges", stressed Congress President Marc Cools during his exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers' Deputies on 14 February 2024 in Strasbourg.

The President welcomed the increased capacity of the Congress to protect local democracy by monitoring the Charter and observing elections.

He also referred to the enhanced high-level dialogue on decentralisation and local elections in Ukraine, as well as to the promotion of the Register of Damage through its networks to ensure the contribution of local authorities and citizens, which feature also among Congress priorities.

He also mentioned cooperation in Bosnia and Herzegovina to encourage democratic participation of citizens in Mostar and Banja Luka, and assistance to democratic forces in Belarus in the field of local democracy.

The President concluded by stressing that this year, which marks the 30th anniversary of the Congress and the 10th anniversary of its Youth Delegates initiative, emphasis will be placed on the importance of greater involvement of all the forces that drive the territorial level: elected authorities, associations, civil society, young people and women, with the organisation in particular of the conference of national associations of local and regional authorities to disseminate the Organisation’s work and values to all local communities and regions of Europe.

Strasbourg, France 14 February 2024
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Congress and Committee of the Regions renew their co-operation priorities

Congress and Committee of the Regions renew their co-operation priorities

Meeting on 12 February 2024, the High-Level Group of the Congress and the European Committee of the Regions of the EU (CoR) took stock of ongoing co-operation between the two institutions and discussed common priorities going forward, in particular with regard to the role of cities and regions in the reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine, upholding human rights and the rule of law at local level, and ensuring greater democratic engagement of young people, following the Council of Europe’s Reykjavik Summit in May 2023.

The participants examined the current state of local and regional democracy and decentralisation in Europe, , the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine and the challenges of climate change, the rise of extreme right and polarisation of societies.

The meeting examined in particular the ongoing work within the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, and identified potential areas of co-operation in better protecting human rights and strengthening the rule of law at local level.

The Congress was represented by President Marc Cools, President of the Chamber of Regions Tunç Soyer and President of the Chamber of Local Authorities Bernd Vöhringer, assisted by Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori. CoR President Vasco Alves Cordeiro and Chair of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) Patrick Molinoz, assisted by CoR Secretary General Petr Blížkovský, represented the Committee of the Regions.

Cooperation Paris, France 13 February 2024
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Congress Bureau discusses war against Ukraine and holds exchange of views with Belarusian democratic forces

Congress Bureau discusses war against Ukraine and holds exchange of views with Belarusian democratic forces

Meeting on 12 February 2024 in Paris, the Congress Bureau examined recent developments in the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine and adopted a Declaration in the run-up to the 2nd anniversary of the beginning of the war.

The Bureau also held an exchange of views with Vladimir Astapenka, Deputy Head of National Crisis Management of Belarus (NAM) and Head of Mission of Democratic Belarus in Brussels.

Discussions focused on Congress political support to Belarusian democratic forces, integration of European standards of local democracy into their work and promotion of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, as well as capacity development and awareness-raising on the concept of local self-government and principles of good governance.

The Bureau furthermore discussed Congress co-operation activities in member States and neighbouring regions, its contribution to the UN Summit of the Future, as well as preparations of its 46th Session (Strasbourg, 26-28 March 2024), among others.  

Paris, France 12 February 2024
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Cyprus invests in good democratic governance at local level

Cyprus invests in good democratic governance at local level

Securing and strengthening good governance at all levels in Europe is a key commitment of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe at their Fourth Summit in Reykjavík, in May 2023.  The project “Enhancing the Local Government Reform in Cyprus”  implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance (CEGG) will contribute to this aim by strengthening local democracy, promoting good democratic governance, and enhancing multilevel cooperation in preparation for the upcoming reform.

The Project Steering Committee met on 5 February in Cyprus to acknowledge progress made in developing capacities of local authorities and offering support in advance of upcoming local elections. 

A fundamental aspect of good democratic governance is the practice of good administration, which hinges on leadership, capability and capacity.  An intensive train-the-trainer programme to prepare the next step of the Leadership Academy Programme (LAP) of the Council of Europe was delivered to a pool of eight local experts with the aim of ensuring local ownership and sustainability of the project results.

Now working hand in hand with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance is a hub for cooperation projects that address public administration and multilevel governance reforms; develop capacities of staff and elected officials of local and regional authorities; foster political dialogue; and deliver advice to promote good democratic governance based on Council of Europe standards and tools.

The project is implemented by the CEGG in cooperation with the Cypriot Ministry of Interior, the Union of Cyprus Municipalities and the Union of Cyprus Communities and funded through a Voluntary Contribution by the Government of Cyprus, under the “Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021-2026” financed by the European Union.

See more: 

 Specific projects in Cyprus - Good Governance

Centre of Expertise for Good Governance Strasbourg, France 9 february 2024
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Congress and UNESCO work together to better protect human rights at local level

Congress and UNESCO work together to better protect human rights at local level

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities contributed to the UNESCO Academy and Conference held from 5 to 8 February 2024 in Graz, Austria, on the topic “Accountability in Action: Human Rights Action Plans of Local Governments”. These two events provided an opportunity to highlight the responsibility of local governments in promoting and protecting human rights at local level.

Speaking at the Conference on 8 February 2024 on “Lessons for local authorities from 75 Years of Human Rights Treaties”, Congress President Marc Cools stressed the importance of seeing the protection of human rights not as an issue exclusively for central authorities. "Local and regional elected representatives are very often the first to have to deal with crises that involve the risk of human rights abuses", he said, adding that "the dramatic example of Ukraine is illustrative in this respect, and the leading role played by Ukrainian local and regional elected representatives in the defence of their country against Russia’s aggression caused by Russia cannot be denied".

The President also referred to the Congress work in this area, in particular the strategy on the implementation of human rights at local and regional level, adopted in October 2023.  The strategy was presented to the UNESCO Academy on 7 February by Congress member Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD). "This strategy presents a clear vision of future human rights activities and their long-term objectives. Its main objective is to promote the full enjoyment of human rights by all citizens in our cities, communities and regions, in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights and other Council of Europe legal instruments," she stressed.

President Cools also highlighted the Congress' ambitions for the future, reiterating that the protection and implementation of human rights is a responsibility shared by all levels of governance, and by civil society. "At the Congress, we began to work on implementing the decisions taken in Reykjavik. This event, which marks the beginning of the year, is a first milestone in our renewed cooperation", he concluded.  

Strasbourg, France 8 February 2024
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Banja Luka joins the deliberative wave: first citizens’ assembly focusing on youth

Banja Luka joins the deliberative wave: first citizens’ assembly focusing on youth

On 3 February 2024, the City of Banja Luka launched its first Citizens’ Assembly – becoming the second local authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina to embark on a deliberative venture with the support of the Congress. The Assembly gathers 35 randomly selected citizens who will deliberate over three weekends on the topic of support to youth through entrepreneurship and propose recommendations to city authorities.

“Empowering local communities and the youth through deliberative processes is a crucial step towards building a stronger democracy and a sustainable future for the people in Banja Luka and for the generations to come and to stay,” stressed President of the Congress Chamber of Local Authorities Bernd Vöhringer at the opening of the Citizens’ Assembly. He commended the efforts of the city in organising the process as well as the choice of the topic. 

“This Assembly is a great opportunity to hear the voices of many young people on a very topical issue for them, for the city and for the country as a whole, and I am convinced that the quality and diversity of recommendations will be very useful for the city authorities,” he concluded.

With this deliberative and inclusive process Banja Luka joins Mostar in putting Bosnia and Herzegovina at the forefront of innovative participatory democracy practices in South-East of Europe.

This activity is organised in the framework of the project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.

See more : 

Co-operation Strasbourg, France 5 February 2024
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Call for tenders for the provision of local consultancy services in Ukraine

Call for tenders for the provision of local consultancy services in Ukraine

Council of Europe Congress is currently implementing co-operation activities in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction 2023-2026”. These activities aim to support Ukrainian local and regional authorities in responding to the multiple challenges caused by the Russian war of aggression, and in particular to build resilience in local governance, support the decentralisation process, and advance towards a successful recovery and modernisation.

In this context, the Congress is willing to establish a pool of up to 45 local consultants to support its activities.

Applicants should have expertise in at least one of the following areas:

  • Decentralisation and dialogue between local and national authorities
  • Open government and innovative approaches to participatory democracy
  • Human rights and non-discrimination at local level

Additional details on potential assignments, and information on the application procedure can be found in the following documents:

Applications should be sent to  [email protected], mentioning reference no. 2024AO07 in the subject line.

The deadline for the submission of tenders is  21 February 2024 by 23:59 CET.

Applications submitted after the deadline, or to another email address will not be considered.

Call for tenders Ukraine Strasbourg, France 1 February 2024
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Congress President welcomes steps to restore regional government in Northern Ireland

Congress President welcomes steps to restore regional government in Northern Ireland

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, has made the following statement today:

“Following the end of the boycott by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), steps can now be taken to reconstitute the Northern Ireland Assembly and thus restore regional government, which I welcome and encourage.

“Reconstitution of the Northern Ireland Assembly, elected in May 2022, will be in accordance with both the Good Friday agreement and the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which the Congress monitors in the 46 member States of the Council of Europe and which the United Kingdom ratified in 1998.

“I hope the necessary steps will follow without delay to allow a functioning, democratically elected regional government in Northern Ireland.”

Presidency Strasbourg, France 31 January 2024
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Congress supports Mostar’s inspiring journey on the road of deliberative democracy

Congress supports Mostar’s inspiring journey on the road of deliberative democracy

On 27 January 2024, the City of Mostar launched its second Citizens’ Assembly – an innovative and inclusive participatory process supported by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The Assembly, commissioned for the first time by the city itself, gathers 40 randomly selected citizens who will deliberate on the topic of economic development and tourism over three weekends and propose recommendations to city authorities.

Building upon the positive results from the first Citizens’ Assembly (2021), the City of Mostar is hereby setting an inspiring example in local democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the South-East Europe.

“Deliberative democracy is a meaningful way to build a stronger sense of community and to make our cities and towns more thriving, inclusive and resilient,” stressed Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori at the opening of the Assembly. He commended the city’s leadership for their efforts and re-iterated the Congress support for building more people-powered local democracy.  

On this occasion, the Congress Secretary General discussed local democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina with relevant stakeholders, in Sarajevo on 25-26 January 2024. He met in particular Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković, the delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Congress, , the associations of local authorities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Republika Srpska, as well as members of the international community.

This activity is organised in the framework of the project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.

Congress Recommendation on the use of deliberative methods in European cities and regions

Dedicated website of Mostar Citizens’ Assemblies

 Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, invited to BHRT

 Flickr gallery

Cooperation Strasbourg, France 29 January 2024
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Statement by Congress President on the occasion of International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Statement by Congress President on the occasion of International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

The President of the Congress, Marc Cools, has made the following statement on the occasion of International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, 27 January:

“Today, as we pay tribute to all those who lost their lives during the reign of horror and inhumanity, may this Day be a somber reminder to all of us where hatred and intolerance lead – a reminder at a time when hate speech and violence are on the rise in Europe again. It is a reminder that the rights and freedoms we are enjoying are not a given, and that even absolute values can be questioned if they are not constantly upheld and defended.

Increasingly, we see that developments on the global stage, geopolitical conflicts or international movements erode social cohesion and democratic values from the bottom up, influencing how we live together in our cities and regions.

We see a worrying and unacceptable increase in antisemitic violence, as well as in xenophobic hatred. We, in local and regional communities, are the first to feel the impact, as it is local and regional elected representatives and administrations, our police forces, our social workers and our teachers who deal with the real-life scenarios that result from hate speech following events such as the conflict in the Middle East.

It remains our responsibility to build strong, resilient and inclusive communities, and it gives me hope to see so many mayors and local officials coming together today to stand up against intolerance and hatred, and work instead towards building cities in which each and every citizen can feel safe and included.

As the bridge between citizens and national governments, local and regional authorities are uniquely well-placed to fight prejudice and foster dialogue and a sense of trust among the different groups which make up our cities and regions. This trust is essential for strengthening democracy and can only be achieved when all groups feel free and safe to participate in public life.

On this Day, let us be reminded of the alternative, and remember the lessons of the Holocaust.”

International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust Strasbourg, France 26 january 2024
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Congress President meets newly elected PACE President

Congress President meets newly elected PACE President

Congress President Marc Cools today met the newly elected President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Theodoros Rousopoulos (Greece, ND). “I am confident that the long-standing relationship of partnership and close co-operation between our two assemblies will be pursued and further strengthened under your presidency, which comes at a time of crucial challenges faced by European democracies,” stressed President Cools congratulating President Rousopoulos on his election.

The two presidents discussed priorities in joining forces of the two assemblies against threats to democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe, and in support for Ukraine.

“Today, as never before, our co-operation is needed to implement the decisions of the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik, which saw the renewed commitment of member States to the Council of Europe’s values, and the recognition of the role that the democratically elected representatives at all levels of governance – and our two assemblies – play in upholding these values and stopping democratic backsliding,” stressed the Congress President, wishing President Rousopoulos every success during his term of office.

Strasbourg, France 24 January 2024
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Congress President meets President of Montenegro

Congress President meets President of Montenegro

Congress President Marc Cools today met President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović, to discuss decentralization in the country in the light of the Congress monitoring recommendations for improved application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

Referring to the importance of reforms aimed at the decentralization of competences and stronger financial and organizational autonomy of municipalities, the Congress President expressed his hope that the new government of Montenegro would lead the reform process, in consultation with the country’s Union of Municipalities.

Strasbourg, France 23 January 2024
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Congress President and Council of Europe Secretary General discuss follow-up to the Reykjavik Summit

Congress President and Council of Europe Secretary General discuss follow-up to the Reykjavik Summit

Congress President Marc Cools today had a bilateral meeting with Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, to discuss the follow-up at local and regional level to the decisions of the Reykjavik Summit, which resulted in strengthening the Council of Europe and its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The President informed the Secretary General of the intention to take up the Summit’s decisions with national associations of local and regional authorities of the member states, at their general meeting organised by the Congress in the context of its 30th anniversary this year. Among other issues discussed were the ongoing Congress projects in support of Ukraine and promoting participative democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in Georgia.  

Strasbourg, France 22 January 2024
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Congress supports local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in their fight against sexism

Congress supports local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in their fight against sexism

As part of its commitment to enhancing gender equality and fighting sexism against women candidates and local office holders, the Congress launched, on 18 January 2024, a practical Guide for women and men on preventing and combatting sexism in local politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

More than 30 representatives of local authorities, entity and state-level institutions, and civil society organizations attended the online launch of the Guide, a timely resource in view of the 2024 local elections in the country. Opening the event, the Congress Thematic Spokesperson on Gender Equality, Eirini Dourou (Greece, SOC/G/PD), emphasized that “gender equality and women’s empowerment is needed to build cohesive, resilient communities and promote the respect of fundamental rights at local level”.

The Guide provides insights on how to identify sexism, and details appropriate measures for fostering a more gender-inclusive institutional culture and greater equality at local level. Participants of the launch event also learned about the overall work of the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo on enhancing gender equality, including through its action on combating digital and sexual violence against women, in implementing the standards set by the Istanbul Convention which Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified in 2013.

Noting the vast legal framework and good practices already in place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, participants and panellists recognised that combatting sexism in local government requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, and that the Guide can be used as a source of inspiration for all other levels of governance facing similar challenges.

This Guide is part of a series of country-specific guides on preventing and combatting sexism in local politics. It is a response to the Congress commitment to fight and prevent sexist violence against women in politics at local and regional level.

This activity is organised in the framework of the project  "Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Mostar and elsewhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.

See more:

Strasbourg, France 22 January 2024
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Council of Europe Congress examines the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Iceland

Council of Europe Congress examines the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Iceland

A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, comprising Rapporteurs Matthias Gysin (Switzerland, ILDG) and Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD), will made a monitoring visit to Iceland from 23 to 25 January 2024 to assess the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in the country since the previous monitoring report adopted by the Congress in 2017. They were accompanied by Professor Nikolaos Chlepas, member of the Group of Independent Experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Greece).

The rapporteurs exchanged views with Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson. The Congress delegation also met Speaker of the Parliament Birgir Ármannsson, as well as President of the Supreme Court Benedikt Bogason and Parliamentary Ombudsman Skúli Magnússon. The Congress delegation also exchanged views with members of the Icelandic delegation to the Congress, as well as representatives of the association of local elected representatives, and the mayors of the municipalities of Reykjavík, Árborg, Vik, Reykjanesbær and Kópavogsbær.

ContactStéphanie Poirel +33 (0) 6 63 55 07 10

Iceland ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1991. Countries that have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires respect for a minimum number of rights, which form the European foundation of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities ensures that these principles are respected. Iceland also ratified the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority in 2017.

Monitoring Strasbourg, France 19 January 2024
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Congress celebrating 30 years in 2024: Statement by Congress President

Congress celebrating 30 years in 2024: Statement by Congress President

Congress President Marc Cools has made the following statement:

“Thirty years ago this week, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted a statutory resolution establishing the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities as a permanent assembly of cities and regions in Europe. From 31 May to 3 June 1994, the Congress held its first session. Today, 30 years on, the Congress has an even stronger mandate from the Reykjavik Summit to advance local and regional democracy, ensure respect of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, strengthen human rights protection and uphold the rule of law at grassroot level.

“To celebrate this anniversary, the Congress will hold a general meeting of more than 100 national associations of local and regional authorities of European countries, to discuss implementation of the Summit’s decisions in our communities. A joint event will be organised with the European Committee of the Regions of the EU, which also marks its 30th anniversary this year. In 2024, the Congress will also be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Youth Delegates programme, which has brought youth engagement into Congress work.

“Thirty years on, we have much to be proud about – and many more challenges that lie ahead as we begin this anniversary year.”  

30th Congress anniversary Strasbourg, France 17 January 2024
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Congress contributes to Helsinki Dialogue on a democratic future for Belarus

Congress contributes to Helsinki Dialogue on a democratic future for Belarus

Leading representatives of democratic forces from Belarus as well as civil society and journalists joined members of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Finnish Parliament and representatives of the Congress to discuss building a democratic future for Belarus, in Helsinki on 11-12 January 2024.

The Congress was represented by Stewart Dickson, Chairperson of the Council for Democratic Elections, and Jani Kokko, Vice-President of the Congress.

Spokesperson Dickson praised the efforts of Belarusian democratic forces in embracing, implementing, and promoting the values of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. He commended their commitment to embody a unified democratic front, respective of pluralistic political affiliations.

He highlighted international standards on elections and stated that “local and regional elections are the bedrock of a healthy and functioning democracy”.

The “Helsinki Dialogue” event was jointly organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Parliament of Finland. It featured six panel discussions on the current geopolitical context around Belarus, Belarusian national identity, political prisoners, strengthening support for democratic forces in the country, electoral matters, and the creation of a representative body of the Belarusian people.

Strasbourg, France 15 January 2024
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Message from Congress President Marc Cools

Message from Congress President Marc Cools

I would like to convey my best wishes for a prosperous and successful year 2024 – the year of the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe and of the 30th anniversary of its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

We are beginning this year with enormous challenges facing our democracies, our cities and regions – the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, climate change, issues related to migration, socio-economic problems and polarisation of our societies. These challenges remind us of the need to redouble our efforts for upholding democratic values in our communities and for strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law on the European continent.

The year 2024 will be the year of the implementation of decisions of the Council of Europe’s Reykjavik Summit, which gave a strong mandate to the Congress for mobilising action at local and regional level to contribute to the Council of Europe’s mission. Let us all rise to this challenge.

Presidency Strasbourg, France 3 January 2024
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Congress President condemns the recent aggression of a mayor in France

Congress President condemns the recent aggression of a mayor in France

Congress President, Marc Cools, condemns the recent aggression of a mayor in France and makes the following statement:

“Democracy is the contradictory debate, the confrontation of ideas. Under no circumstances may violence or physical aggression be used against elected representatives.

"I condemn the recent aggression in France of the mayor of Péage-en-Roussillon and call for banning all kind of violence in Europe, including verbal violence, against elected representatives. When physical aggressions occur, they must be severely punished by the courts.

"The defense of democracy is at stake"

Presidency Strasbourg, France 27 december 2023
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Congress spokesperson on electoral matters to visit Belgrade

Congress spokesperson on electoral matters to visit Belgrade

Following the serious irregularities observed by international observers during the local and parliamentary elections on 17 December 2023, and the ongoing protests in the Serbian capital city, Congress President Marc Cools has asked Congress spokesperson on electoral matters, Stewart Dickson, to carry out a visit to Belgrade early in the new year to meet with the authorities of Serbia.

The main purpose of the visit will be to discuss improvements to the electoral process and the urgent reforms needed to combat any potential fraud.

Election observation Strasbourg, France 27 december 2023
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Congress reiterates support to building sustainable cities, towns and regions in Ukraine

Congress reiterates support to building sustainable cities, towns and regions in Ukraine

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine met on 15 December 2023 and gathered more than 1,600 participants in-person and online.

Attending the official opening, the President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), congratulated Ukraine on the decision of the Council of the European Union to open accession negotiations. He highlighted the long-standing co-operation between the Council of Europe Congress and Ukraine.

“Decentralisation in Ukraine led to empowered local leaders and to the incredible display of resilience they are showing” underlined President Vöhringer while reiterating the unwavering support of the Congress for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. In this view, he welcomed the roadmap for an effective and Charter-compliant local self-governance in post-war Ukraine, which was recently adopted.

The project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine” is implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. The project aims to strengthen the dialogue, partnership and consultation between different levels of government; enhance collaborative governance and citizen participation in line with the principles of local democracy and open government; and promote and guarantee the right to equality and non-discrimination at local level, for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine

Ukraine Strasbourg, France 20 December 2023
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Council of Europe Congress concerned about the local elections in Serbia

Council of Europe Congress concerned about the local elections in Serbia

The Congress spokesperson on observation of local and regional elections, Stewart Dickson, has expressed grave concern about the serious irregularities reported by the Congress’ partners in their joint International Election Observation Mission of the early parliamentary elections which took place in Serbia on 17 December 2023. At the same time, the unanticipated early local by-elections following the sudden and simultaneous resignation of 65 mayors from the ruling party, were held in a third of municipalities of Serbia, including the capital.

“The reported instances of intimidation and pressure on voters, including vote-buying, and credible allegations of voter migration and bussing of voters during local elections to support the ruling party particularly in Belgrade, the inclusion of names of deceased persons on electoral lists and the misuse of administrative resources in election campaigns are very worrying allegations that could seriously infringe citizens' right to vote and undermine their trust in the democratic electoral process at all levels of government.

"In addition, the simultaneous organisation of parliamentary and local elections is not conducive to an effective electoral process at local level, and this issue has already been raised in the previous Congress recommendations on local elections in Serbia.

"In this respect, we call on the Serbian authorities to address all alleged cases of violations of the electoral process at the local level and make due and diligent investigation and to respect the standards of free and fair elections. The Congress will closely follow the situation in Serbia.”

Election observation Strasbourg, France 20 December 2023
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Congress rapporteurs in Spain to study local and regional responses to the dramatic effects of climate change

Congress rapporteurs in Spain to study local and regional responses to the dramatic effects of climate change

A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities composed of co-rapporteurs Jean-Paul Bastin (Belgium, EPP/CCE) and Christian Debève (France, ILDG) carried out a study visit to Spain (Madrid, Sevilla, Malaga) from 18 to 20 December 2023 in the framework of the report “Local and regional responses to major crises” to be debated by the Congress at its session in March 2024.

The aim of the visit was to explore how local and regional authorities perceive, respond and adapt to the dramatic effects of climate change and in what institutional framework they develop their responses. The actual effects of climate change and the solutions sought were explored in several field visits to river Manzanares in Madrid, to Doñana National Park in Andalusia and to innovative projects developed in response to the water shortage in the region, in the surroundings of the municipalities of Arahal.

The delegation learned, amongst others, that droughts and inundations, which regularly took place simultaneously in the same territories on the same day, were the main climate hazards to be responded to in the south of Spain, and that intentional fires, although a regular method of agriculture in the country since centuries, were increasingly getting out of hand in a context of extreme heat in the summer.

Meetings with key stakeholders at local, regional and national levels revealed a very differentiated, cooperative and evidence-based crisis response system, involving all governance levels of the federal state of Spain as well as actions of national and international solidarity.

 

 Photo gallery

Current Affairs Committee Strasbourg, France 20 December 2023
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Council of Europe Congress to visit Armenia for study visit

Council of Europe Congress to visit Armenia for study visit

A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, composed of rapporteurs Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE) and Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), carried out a study visit to Yerevan and the municipality of Masis on 19 December 2023 to follow up on Declaration 7 (2023) on “The humanitarian situation in Karabakh and neighbouring cities and regions”. They were accompanied by the member of the group of independent experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government, Professor Jens Woelk (Germany).

The rapporteurs held discussions with the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Gnel Sanosyan, and the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Narek Mkrtchyan. The delegation also met representatives of the communes of Artashat, Yerevan, Goris and Hrazdan. In addition, a meeting was held with representatives of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Armenian Red Cross Society. The Congress delegation also visited the Masis commune to meet local elected representatives.

Contact Guillaume Loiseau 

 Photo gallery

Strasbourg, France 18 December 2023
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International Migrants Day 2023: Promote the benefits of migration to ensure a better living together

International Migrants Day 2023: Promote the benefits of migration to ensure a better living together

On the occasion of the 2023 edition of International Migrants Day, Congress rapporteur on the reception of women and children refugees, Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), stressed that the reception and integration of migrants and refugees will be amongst the major challenges of local and regional authorities in upcoming years and will require a profound human rights approach.

“As local authorities, we must not only take care of the most vulnerable groups of migrants and refugees, such as women and children, but also ensure that the fundamental rights of all newly arriving persons on our territories are respected. Whilst the integration of migrants and refugees requires concerted efforts across all levels of government, subnational governments manage most of the policies that support migrant integration, such as housing, education, or support to local employment and welfare services. We are thus key actors of migrant and refugee integration and must be equipped to fulfil our responsibilities, including through sufficient financial allocations from regional or national governments.

We must not forget that, in the long run, local communities can benefit from migration, for example thanks to the influx of new cultures and skills. This pre-supposes that the local population remain open-minded to the integration of migrants and refugees from various countries and cultural backgrounds, and that tools facilitating this are put in place, such as linguistic, intercultural or professional trainings. The Congress will continue to support local authorities, both in addressing relevant challenges of integration and in promoting the potential of migrants and refugees for society.”

See more : 

International Migrants Day Strasbourg, France 18 December 2023
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Congratulations to the Association of Ukrainian Cities, one of the two North-South Prize 2022 winners

Congratulations to the Association of Ukrainian Cities, one of the two North-South Prize 2022 winners

The North-South Prize of the Council of Europe had been awarded in May 2023 to the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) upon proposal of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Award Ceremony was held on 14 December 2023 in the Portuguese Parliament in Lisbon.

The Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) was selected to recognize its commitment to ensure better integration of Internally Displaced Persons in host communities as well as to address socioeconomic challenges that arise in wartime. In addition, the Prize also intends to recognise the Association´s efforts to uphold democratic values by ensuring that the legislative framework regulating the functioning of local authorities is fully aligned with the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

In the margins of the ceremony, the Head of the Portuguese Delegation to the Congress, Jorge Sequeira (SOC/G/PD), Mayor of Sao Joao da Madeira, met the representative of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Vadym Boichenko, Mayor of Mariupol, Donetsk Region, Chair of the Section for the Development of De-occupied and Temporarily Occupied Communities of the association and Member of its Board.

Mr Sequeira reiterated the Congress’ concern about the Ukrainian abducted mayors in the context of the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. He underlined that “mayors, as local leaders, were particularly targeted by the Russian occupying forces, for their fierce resistance against the occupation and their essential role in maintaining the cohesion and functioning of the Ukrainian communities”. “This is an obvious attempt to intimidate the civilian population and suppress the resistance in the occupied territories”, he stated while recalling that the Congress has repeatedly demanded for immediate and unconditional release of all Ukrainian local elected representatives.

Since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine, fifty-five local officials and local elected representatives, including thirty-five mayors, were abducted by the Russian occupying forces. To date, five local leaders remain in captivity:  the mayors of Hola Prystan (Kherson oblast), Kherson (Kherson oblast), Dniprorudne (Zaporizhya oblast) and the starostas (village elder) of Hrebenykivka of Boromlya community (Sumy oblast) and Novy Borovytshi of Snovsk community (Chernihiv oblast).

Mr Sequeira and Mr Boichenko also exchanged on the Congress’ cooperation with the AUC within the  project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level” implemented  by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction for 2023-2026” - and the partnerships between Ukrainian local authorities and their counterparts in Europe.

Memorandum of Understanding between the Congress and the Association of Ukrainian Cities for the implementation of the Congress co-operation activities in Ukraine

Ukrainian local authorities promote innovative open government approaches - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (coe.int)

Strasbourg, France 15 December 2023
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Congress underlines the need for all levels of government to step up the fight against human trafficking

Congress underlines the need for all levels of government to step up the fight against human trafficking

Speaking at the 33rd meeting of the Committee of the Parties on the Council of Europe’s Convention against Trafficking in Human Beings, the Chair of the Current Affairs Committee, Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), highlighted the key role that local and regional authorities play in combatting human trafficking.

She underlined the need for concerted action at all levels of government to combat human trafficking, an issue reflected amongst the key challenges identified in the Reykjavik Declaration adopted by the heads of State and Government in May 2023.

In follow-up to this declaration, the Current Affairs Committee is presently exploring how and where cities and regions are already taking action to combat trafficking and where they can play a role in bridging existing gaps in this fight. A first exchange on the matter was held at the Committee’s meeting in June 2023 with the Chair of the Council’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), Helga Gayer.

“As local politicians, we have committed to improving our local communities and the lives of our citizens. Combatting human trafficking is an integral part of the road towards delivering this promise,” Ms Rudkin concluded.

"As the first point of contact, local and regional authorities have a key role to play in preventing trafficking in human beings and protecting victims," says GRETA's President - Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (coe.int)

Committee of the Parties of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

Strasbourg, France 15 December 2023
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