Local and regional authorities should have sufficient resources at their disposal to be able to carry out their public duties effectively.

Standards

• CM/Rec(2011)11E - Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the funding by higher-level authorities of new competences for local authorities (12 October 2011)
• CM/Rec(2005)1E - Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the financial resources of local and regional authorities (19 January 2005)
• CM/Rec(2004)1E - Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on financial and budgetary management at local and regional levels (08 January 2004)
• CM/Rec(2000)14E - Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on local taxation, financial equalisation and grants to local authorities (06 September 2000)

Tools

• LFB – Local Finance Benchmark for Local Authorities

Publications

• Local finance benchmarking: piloting and lessons learned - Moldova (2017)  [Romanian version]
• Local finance benchmarking : piloting and lessons learned - Georgia (2017)  [Georgian version]
• Local finance benchmarking: piloting and lessons learned - Armenia (2017)  [Armenian version]
• Local finance benchmarking: a shared tool for improved financial management (2016)
• Survey of the role of central/regional Government in Participatory Budgeting at local level (2011)
• Local Government in Critical Times: Policies for Crisis, Recovery and a Sustainable Future (2011)
• Impact of the Economic Downturn on Local Government in Europe (2010)
• Pilot Study concerning the Degree Of Conformity of Member States' Policy and Practice with Council Of Europe Standards For Local Finance (2009)
• Member states' practices for the funding of new competences for local authorities (2009)
• Internal audit at local and regional level (2007)
• Handbook on Finance at Local and Regional Level (2006)
• Budgetary procedures and budget management at local authority level (2002)
• Effects on the financial autonomy of local and regional authorities resulting from the limits set at European level on national public debt (2000)
• Limitations of local taxation, financial equalisation and methods for calculating general grants (1998)