The members of the Current Affairs Committee met in Strasbourg, France, on 18 October 2017, during the 33rd Session of the Congress. They adopted a report on unaccompanied refugee children and the role of local authorities, prepared by Nawel Rafik Elmrini (France, SOC), and a report on border regions faced with the phenomenon of migration, prepared by Rena DOUROU (Greece, SOC). These reports will be presented for adoption in March and October 2018 respectively. The Committee also examined a petition concerning the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, signed by 150 NGOs and presented to the Congress by the County council of Covasna, Romania. In addition, the Committee received the signature document from the town of Bela Palanka (Serbia) which had signed up to the Pact of towns and regions to stop sexual violence against children, opened for signature by the Congress in 2012. The members were also informed of the programme of the forthcoming Summit of mayors for the 'Alliance of European cities against violent extremism' to be held on 15 November 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Jointly organised by the Congress, the European Forum for Urban Security (EFUS) and the City of Barcelona, the Summit will bring together local and regional elected representatives, experts and representatives of civil society to look at good practices for preventing extremist violence.    

File 33rd Session