Local and regional democracy
The European Committee on Democracy and Governance (CDDG) places a strong emphasis on local and regional democracy in its work. This is in line with its history, as the Committee builds on the legacy of the former European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) and the outcomes of specialised Conferences of Ministers.
The European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR)
From 1967 to 2014, the CDLR was the committee responsible for steering the intergovernmental work of the Council of Europe in the area of local and regional democracy and pave the way for greater European co-operation and common standards. The Committee prepared legal texts, promoted their implementation, published reports and organised conferences, seminars and exchanges of good practice. The CDLR promoted democratic participation in local affairs, administrative and territorial reforms, the allocation of sufficient financial resources to local and regional authorities, and the strengthening of cross-border co-operation.
The Conferences of European Ministers responsible for local and regional government (CML)
The Council of Europe Conferences of Ministers responsible for Spatial/Regional Planning (CEMAT)
The Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Spatial/Regional Planning (CEMAT) brings together representatives of the 47 Council of Europe member states in pursuit of a shared objective: the promotion of the territorial dimension of human rights and democracy for a sustainable spatial development of the European continent (read more...)
The most recent work of the CDDG in the area of local and regional democracy has led to the adoption by the Ministers’ Deputies of Recommendation CM/Rec (2019)3 on supervision of local authorities’ activities. With a view to complementing this work, in 2020-2021 the CDDG is preparing a draft recommendation on the democratic accountability of elected officials and bodies at local and regional level.
In addition, the CDDG has worked on the following topics: