Creating inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities requires good local governance and democratic institutions supporting it. Citizen participation mechanisms must be created, involving all groups of local residents: dialogue is a crucial tool to avoid social fragmentation, promote a culture of living together and build harmonious relationships within the city and the society overall. 

The approach of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is based on three key principles: achieving SDGs is the shared responsibility of all levels of government; local and regional authorities must have the necessary competences and financial autonomy to achieve the goals in their respective areas; citizens must always remain at the heart of the action.

The Congress seeks to support local public administrations in leading in a more informed manner, addressing the needs of their communities, and developing demand-driven and responsive policies.

The Congress adopted the following texts in relation to SDG 11:

• REC 511 (2024) - The UN Pact for the Future: The essential role of local and regional authorities in global sustainable development

• REC 508 (2024) - Monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Croatia

• REC 507 (2024) - Monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in France

• REC 506 (2024) - Monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Montenegro

• REC 505 (2024) - Monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Andorra

• REC 504 (2024) - Monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Norway

• REC 503 (2024) - Monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Italy

• RES 500 (2024) and REC 510 (2024) - Local and regional responses to natural disasters and climate hazards: from risk preparedness to resilience

• RES488 (2022) and REC483 (2022) - Regional identities: promoting dialogue and diversity in unity

• RES485 (2022) and REC478 (2022) - Hate speech and fake news: the impact on working conditions of local and regional elected representatives

• RES487 (2022) and REC481 (2022) - Reception of women and children refugees in Europe’s cities and regions

• RES486 (2022) and REC480 (2022) - Smart cities and regions – prospects for a human rights-based governance approach

• RES 482 (2022) - REC 476 (2022) -  The situation of independent candidates and the opposition in local and regional elections

• RES 480 and REC 472 - Beyond elections - the use of deliberative methods in European municipalities and regions

• REC463 (2021) - Home sharing platforms: challenges and opportunities for municipalities

• REC455 (2021) and RES467 (2021) - Recurring issues based on assessments resulting from Congress monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and election observation missions (reference period 2017-2020)

• REC453 (2021) and RES466 (2021) - Ensuring respect of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in major crisis situations

• REC452 (2021) - The status of capital cities

• REC444 (2020) and RES455 (2020) - Local and regional elections in major crisis situations

• RES460 (2020) - A contemporary commentary by the Congress on the explanatory report to the European Charter of Local Self-Government

• REC 448 (2020) and RES 458 (2020) - Developing urban-rural interplay

• REC 444 (2020) and RES 455 (2020) -  Local and regional elections in major crisis situations

• RES452 (2019) - Revised Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-making Process

• REC 441 (2019) and RES 453 (2019) - The use of languages by local and regional authorities

• REC 438 (2019) and RES 449 (2019) - Fair distribution of taxes in transfrontier areas. Potential conflicts and possibilities for compromise

• REC 434 (2019) and RES 443 (2019) - Financial compensation of local and regional elected representatives in the exercise of their office

• REC 437 (2019) and RES 448 (2019) - The role of local and regional governments in protecting internally displaced persons (IDPs)

• REC 427 (2018) and RES 438 (2018) - Coping with the debt burden: local authorities in financial difficulty

• REC 422 (2018) and RES 432 (2018) - Border regions facing the migration phenomenon

• REC 419 (2018) and RES 431 (2018) - Voting rights at local level as an element of successful long-term integration of migrants and IDPs in Europe’s municipalities and regions

• REC 414 (2018) and RES 428 (2018) - Unaccompanied refugee children: the role and responsibilities of local and regional authorities

• REC 410 (2017) and RES 424 (2017) - Regional and minority languages in Europe today

• REC 394 (2017) and RES 411 (2017) - From reception to integration: the role of local and regional authorities facing migration

• REC 409 (2017) - The functioning of the organs of local democracy in a context of linguistic diversity in the communes “with facilities” around Brussels in the Flemish region

• REC 395 (2017) and RES 412 (2017) - Recurring issues based on assessments resulting from Congress monitoring and election observation missions (reference period 2010-2016)

• REC406 (2017) and RES 422 (2017) - A better future for Europe’s rural areas

• REC392 (2016) and RES407 (2016) - Good governance in metropolitan areas

• RES 397 (2016) - Organising intercultural and interreligious activities: a toolkit for the use of the local authorities

• REC 385 (2016) and RES 398 (2016) - Autonomy and borders in an evolving Europe

• RES 394 (2015) - E-media: Game changer for local and regional politicians

• REC 383 (2015) and RES 393 (2015)  - Conditions of office for elected representatives

• RES 390 (2015) - Trends in regionalisation in Council of Europe member States

• RES 389 (2015) - New forms of local governance

• REC 371 (2015) and RES 381 (2015) - Combatting radicalisation at grassroots level: the role of local and regional authorities

• RES385 (2015) - Fostering active citizenship by building partnerships with civil society

• RES384 (2015) - Guidelines for local and regional authorities on preventing radicalisation and manifestations of hate at the grassroots level

• RES339 (2012) - Making cities resilient

• REC253 (2008) and RES271 (2008) - The social reintegration of children living and working on the streets

• REC251 (2008) and RES269 (2008) - European Urban Charter II - Manifesto for a new urbanity

• REC241 (2008) and RES258 (2008) - Child in the city

• REC232 (2008) and RES249 (2008) - Biodiversity policies for urban areas

The following thematic activities of the Congress are particularly related to SDG 11:

• Preventing radicalisation and building inclusive societies

• Organising intercultural and interreligious activities

• Migration and integration

• Human Rights

Congress has issued the following SDG 11 relevant publications:

• Toolkit for organising intercultural and interreligious activities

• Management of Change: Tool Guide for Local and Regional Authorities

• Urban Charter II - Manifesto for a new urbanity

• Promoting human rights at local and regional level

To support local public administrations in leading in a more informed manner, addressing the needs of their communities, and developing demand-driven and responsive policies, the Congress has developed the “Management of Change: Tool Guide for Local and Regional Authorities”.

• Preventing radicalisation and building inclusive societies
• Organising intercultural and interreligious activities
• Migration and integration
• Cooperation programmes

• Toolkit for organising intercultural and interreligious activities
• Urban Charter II - Manifesto for a new urbanity
• Promoting human rights at local and regional level
• Human rights handbook for Local and Regional Authorities
• Management of Change: Tool Guide for Local and Regional Authorities