Having joined the Council of Europe in 1961 and ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1988, Cyprus embarked on a comprehensive local government reform, culminating in legislation that came into effect in 2024.

The Congress monitoring report in 2021 noted the closer alignment of new legislation with the principles of the Charter and praised the focus of the planned reforms on modernising self-government through enhanced competences and financial capacities for local authorities.

Completed projects in Cyprus

 Enhancing the Local Government Reform in Cyprus (2023 – 2025)

Objectives

The project aimed at supporting implementation of the Local Government Reform in Cyprus and strengthening the capacity of local authorities to provide good democratic governance and high-quality services to their citizens, according to European standards. It assisted Cypriot authorities to: 

  • Improve the national capacity to deliver sustainable training and capacity-building services to the local authorities;
  • Ensure that local authorities have access to expertise related to good democratic governance issues.

The Congress’s Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance steered implementation of the project in coordination with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, the Union of Cyprus Communities and the Cyprus Academy of Public Administration.

Results

  • 507 local officials across Cyprus developed skills; increased knowledge; and received certification in European good democratic governance principles, notably via the multi-stage Leadership Academy Programme.
  • Policy Advice and Peer Review report delivered concrete recommendations to the Cypriot authorities to support implementation of the Reform.
  • A national public ethics benchmark for local governments in Cyprus adapted and developed from the tools of the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance.
  • Four local authorities received the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE).
  • Updated Training Needs Analysis and the National Training Strategy.
  • A pool of twelve local trainers equipped to deliver capacity-building sessions based on Council of Europe standards.
  • Extensive training materials in Greek ensuring the programme’s sustainability and replicability.

Beneficiaries

  • The Ministry of Interior of Cyprus;
  • The Unions of Cyprus Municipalities and Communities;
  • Cypriot municipalities and communities, their staff and institutional structures;
  • Other public authorities such as the Cyprus Academy of Public Administration;

Budget and duration

The project is funded by the Government of Cyprus (under the Recovery and Resilience Facility) and implemented by the Council of Europe’s Centre of Expertise for Good Governance

The total budget of the project is € 840 000 EUR

The project will run from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2025

Contact Marité MORAS
Head of the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance

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