Gudrun MOSLER-TÖRNSTRÖM: "In the Congress we are committed to a Europe of solidarity”

Speaking at the opening of the 33rd Congress Session, in Strasbourg, France, on 18 October 2017, Congress President Gudrun MOSLER-TÖRNSTRÖM, pointed out that the European construction has enabled historic advances over the last sixty years. 'We do not want to abandon these advances and each and every one of us, in our own particular roles, can help preserve what has been achieved,' she added highlighting the role of the Congress in this regard. Reaffirming the importance of strong regions with broad powers, the President of the Congress indicated that she did not believe that 'the Europe we earnestly hope for can be built on weak nation States, a disintegrated, fragmented Europe which would be devoid of all influence in the world.”. 'There is no room for selfishness, be it national or regional. There is no place for nationalism, whether national or regional”, she added. .' For the President, the message of the Congress is clear: 'We know that devolution is essential, that municipal and regional self-government, clearly defined within the limits of each State’s legally-established borders, is indispensable. But we do not want to see our nations implode,” she concluded.

Local Democracy and good governance

Back Overcoming the challenges specific to rural areas

Overcoming the challenges specific to rural areas

The Congress adopted a recommendation and a resolution on Europe's rural areas on 19 October 2017. Laurent WEHRLI (Switzerland, ILDG) presented the report on "A better future for Europe’s rural areas". The report sets out the key opportunities and challenges facing Europe’s rural areas. To overcome the challenges of lacking public services and infrastructure, the digital divide, inequalities and the exodus of young people, the report underlines the necessity of fitting local and regional strategies to the local context and capitalising on the assets of rural areas. Andrä RUPPRECHTER, Austrian Federal Minister for Agriculture, Forests, Environment and Water management, presented Austria's "Masterplan" for the development of rural areas. Vanik BERBERIAN, President of the French Association of Rural Mayors, called on elected representatives to think outside the box where rural life was concerned and develop new two-way exchanges between urban and rural areas. Finally, Aicha AIT HADDOU, President of the Municipal council of Azilal, Morocco, and member of the Moroccan parliament, shared her experience as an elected representative of a rural mountain municipality. The Congress calls on local and regional authorities to set up real schemes to develop rural areas, in partnership with all development actors. The Congress asks the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to invite national authorities to devise new policies to support rural development, adapted to the specific features of rural areas.

Report CG33(2017)16

Presentation by Laurent WEHRLI

Video of the debate

Speech by Andrä RUPPRECHTER

Mediabox interview with Andrä RUPPRECHTER

File 33rd Session

33rd Session Strasbourg, France 19 October 2017
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