Public ethics and accountability are essential features of good local governance, which ensure that those in public office act in the wider public interest and that decision-making and resource allocation are fair, efficient and effective. It in turn helps to enable a prosperous democracy, economy and society.

Local elected representatives have a crucial role in building trust, through their professionalism, integrity and ability to function in an ethical, transparent and accountable manner. They must act as role models for enhanced public service delivery.

In order to prevent corruption and promote public ethics at local and regional levels, the Congress adopted the European code of conduct for all persons involved in local and regional governance, which provides ethical guidance to elected, appointed and contracted personnel.

The Code of conduct belongs to the “Roadmap of activities for preventing corruption and promoting public ethics at local and regional levels”, adopted by the Congress along with practical guides on the misuse of administrative resources during electoral processes, transparent public procurement, open government, conflict of interest, protection of whistle-blowers and fighting nepotism within local and regional authorities. These reports are published as practical guides, which contain a number of examples that can be used and applied by local elected representatives and public officials.