News of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Congress Bureau strongly supports opening the Local Self-Government Charter beyond Europe
Meeting on 6 June 2024, the Congress Bureau reaffirmed the Congress’s support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression, reiterated concern about the adoption of the ‘foreign influence’ law in Georgia, and took note of the developments after the local elections in...
Congress President calls for concerted action at all levels of governance to tackle the environmental crisis
To mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2024, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, made the following statement: “Not a day goes by without local and regional elected representatives taking a decision relating to the environment. In...
Congress advocates for deliberative processes to restore trust in democratic institutions
On 30 May 2024, Congress Vice-President Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP/CCE) held an exchange of views with the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) meeting in Oslo, Norway. She underlined the role of Congress in preventing...
Congress Spokesperson warns against risks of AI for human rights
“Artificial intelligence (AI) is now an integral part of our private and professional lives and of governance at every level. However, the unregulated design and use of AI tools present significant risks and must be viewed through the prism of human rights and within the framework of strict...
Congress assists Finland in historic local government reform
After 30 years of discussions, Finland embarked upon the largest public administrative reform in its history in 2023 – with the creation of its wellbeing service counties. Ensuring access to quality services at the local level, in a stringent economic situation and across diverse regional...
At the French Senate, Congress calls for a global strategy against hate speech
“In recent years, there has been a deplorable rise in all kinds of violence against local elected representatives in Europe, whether physical, psychological or verbal. A global strategy is urgently needed to protect them against hate speech and fake news and the resulting violence,” stressed...
Peer exchanges for inclusive and human rights-based local governance in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine
29 May 2024, during the Open Gov Week, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities organised an online discussion to share experiences, strategies, and challenges in promoting inclusivity and a human rights perspective within Open Government initiatives in the local authorities of Georgia, the...
Congress fosters open government in Ukraine
On 28 May 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine, the Ukrainian Platform for National-Local Dialogue held a meeting on “Open government as a key ingredient for resilient local authorities”. “It is inspiring to witness that authorities in Ukraine continue to dedicate time and resources to engaging the population...
2024 World Forum for Democracy: call for initiatives
The 12th World Forum for Democracy, “Democracy and Diversity - Can we transcend the divides?” will take place from 6-8 November 2024 in Strasbourg. In a year during which around one half of the world’s population has been called to the polls, participants will debate the issues of disinformation...
First Manual on the New Law on Local Public Service in Ukraine presented
On 23 May 2024, the first Manual “Novelties of the Law on Local Public Service in Ukraine of 2 May 2023: commentary and comparative analysis” was presented at a hybrid meeting in Kyiv, with the online participation of more than 540 representatives of local authorities of all levels from 24...
Congress participates in North-South Dialogues in Lisbon
On 20 and 21 May, the Congress participated in the North-South Dialogues in Lisbon, a new initiative launched by the North South Centre intended to provide a platform to discuss the state of North-South relations and prospects for their development. For this first edition, the subject of...
Strengthening democratic governance and resilience in Ukraine: the Centre of Expertise praised for its project’s achievements
On 16 May 2024, the Council of Europe Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine” presented its 2023 achievements, ongoing activities and further plans for 2024 to its Steering Committee. On this occasion, the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance at the...
Congress to hold a Conference of national associations of local and regional authorities under the Lithuanian Presidency
The Congress will organise, in the framework of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, a Conference of national associations of local and regional authorities, on 12 and 13 September in Strasbourg, under the theme “building together a stronger local and...
President Cools at the Committee of Ministers: The Congress determined to implement the conclusions of the Reykjavik Summit
Addressing the Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg on 17 May 2024, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Marc Cools outlined the Congress' action to implement the decisions of the Reykjavik Summit. The President underlined the...
Hungarian stakeholders commit to partnership and dialogue to advance local self-government
“Serving citizens is the highest priority for local and national governments,” recalled Dr Tibor Navracsics, Minister for Public Administration and Regional Development in Hungary at the 35th Anniversary Conference of the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ), organised in...
Congress Spokesperson on Youth calls for combatting hate in local communities
“Hate is a slow poison that – if left unaddressed – can spread widely in our communities, affecting the most vulnerable,” stressed Véronique Bertholle (France, SOC/G/PD), Congress Spokesperson on Youth and Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg, speaking in a panel discussion on the state of hate and violent...
International Day against Homophobia: Congress reiterates its commitment to combating discrimination against LGBTIQ people at local level
On the occasion of the 2024 International Day against Homophobia, Biophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), 17 May, entitled “No one left behind: equality, freedom and justice for all”, Chair of the Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity (SOC) Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD),...
Congress assesses challenges of local authorities in migration management in Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Romania
Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has caused mass displacement, with over six million refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe, and in particular in neighbouring countries. While local and regional authorities are key actors in migration management as they are at the...
Congress President expresses deep concern about the draft law in Georgia
The President of the Congress of Local and regional Authorities, Marc Cools, made the following statement today: “I share deep concern expressed by the Council of Europe’s Secretary General regarding the draft law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, adopted by the Georgian Parliament at third...
Tunç Soyer at ALDA General Assembly: Local democracy received a new boost at Reykjavik Summit
“The important role of local and regional authorities in strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law received further recognition at the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik last year, which gave a stronger mandate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities,” underlined Tunç...
