After the ratification of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2014 by all 47 member states, the monitoring activities, which the Congress carries out every five years in each member state, increased considerably. “The Congress spent almost all the financial resources allocated to it in 2018 carrying out monitoring missions in 10 countries thus continuing the efforts to prioritise its role as a monitoring mechanism of the Charter,” stated co-rapporteurs Anna MAGYAR (Hungary, EPP/CCE) and Barbara TOCE (Italy, SOC) at the 36th Session.
“We are constantly being asked to do more and more but with fewer and fewer resources,” they warned, highlighting the fact that the Congress has been obliged to cut several activities, including ones designed to address the challenges identified in Secretary General Jagland’s annual reports concerning democracy, human rights and rule of law.
The recommendation adopted by the Congress on 2 April 2019 emphasises the need to include in the draft programme and budget for the next biennium (2020-2021) a budget envelope for the Congress which would fully recognise its contribution to the Council of Europe priorities by gradually returning to a share of 3 % of the Ordinary Budget.
*** 36th Session of the Congress ***
