Meeting on 12 February 2024, the High-Level Group of the Congress and the European Committee of the Regions of the EU (CoR) took stock of ongoing co-operation between the two institutions and discussed common priorities going forward, in particular with regard to the role of cities and regions in the reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine, upholding human rights and the rule of law at local level, and ensuring greater democratic engagement of young people, following the Council of Europe’s Reykjavik Summit in May 2023.

The participants examined the current state of local and regional democracy and decentralisation in Europe, , the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine and the challenges of climate change, the rise of extreme right and polarisation of societies.

The meeting examined in particular the ongoing work within the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, and identified potential areas of co-operation in better protecting human rights and strengthening the rule of law at local level.

The Congress was represented by President Marc Cools, President of the Chamber of Regions Tunç Soyer and President of the Chamber of Local Authorities Bernd Vöhringer, assisted by Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori. CoR President Vasco Alves Cordeiro and Chair of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) Patrick Molinoz, assisted by CoR Secretary General Petr Blížkovský, represented the Committee of the Regions.