The French national centre for local and regional administration (Centre national de la fonction publique territoriale - CNFPT) has just launched the Barometer of Local Institutional Reforms in Europe, a tool providing a statistical analysis of local authorities in Europe as well as the changes and reforms implemented since the financial crisis of 2008. Its aim is to show in a simple way the main parameters of horizontal and vertical organisation of levels of local administration in countries of Greater Europe.

The barometer compares 48 European countries, 47 of them Council of Europe member States, and their 200 000 or so local and regional authorities. The data gathered show that, between 2005 and 2016, the number of authorities fell by 14% in Europe and by 6% within the European Union. A factsheet summarises the key data for each country, including local and regional structures, the main reforms and a historical overview.

Updated regularly in partnership with the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the Council of Europe, the barometer enables users to track reforms undertaken as regards the main horizontal and vertical divisions in local institutional matters.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will contribute its expertise gained from monitoring the European Charter of Local Self-Government in the Council of Europe's 47 member States. Application of the Charter, the only international treaty enshrining the rights of local authorities, paves the way for improving local democracy, public services, administrative efficiency and the quality of citizens' lives. The partnership that will be forged between the CNFPT and the Congress around the barometer will help take good governance of local and regional authorities to a higher level.