For a society to reach inclusive and sustainable economic growth, conditions must be created to allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the environment. An equitable work environment must be ensured and grown, including all members of society. The integration of disadvantaged populations is thus an opportunity to stimulate economic and social growth, by undermining inequalities.

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.

For a society to reach an inclusive and sustainable economic growth, conditions must be created to allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the environment. Congress contributes to these conditions to ensure and develop an equitable work environment, which includes all members of the society. The integration of disadvantaged populations is thereby an opportunity to stimulate economic and social growth, by undermining inequalities.

The Congress adopted the following texts in relation to SDG 8:

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

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

• REC 473 (2022) and RES 481 (2022) - The future of youth in rural areas - responsibilities of local and regional authorities

• RES 478 - Children and sustainable cities: guidelines and booklet for local and regional authorities

• REC 483 (2022) and RES 488 (2022) - Regional identities: promoting dialogue and diversity in unity

• REC 481(2022) and RES 487 (2022) - Reception of women and children refugees in Europe’s cities and regions

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

• REC450 (2021) and RES463(2021) - Youth work: the role of local and regional authorities

• REC448 (2021) and RES458(2021) - Developing urban-rural interplay

• REC 455 (2021) and RES 467 (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)

• REC 453 (2021) and RES 466 (2021) - Ensuring the respect of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in major crisis situations

• REC 452 (2021) - The status of capital cities

• 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

• REC 433 (2019) and RES 442 (2019)  - Social rights of young people: the role of local and regional authorities

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

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

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

• REC438 (2019) and RES449 (2019) - Fair distribution of taxes in transfrontier areas. Potential conflicts and possibilities for compromise

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

• RES 437 (2018) - The consultation of local authorities by higher levels of government

• RES414 (2017) - Forever young? The role of youth policies and youth work at local and regional levels in supporting young people’s transition to autonomy and working life

• 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 406 (2017) and RES 422 (2017) - A better future for Europe’s rural areas

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

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

• REC 388 (2016) and ​​​​​​RES 403 (2016) - The situation of Roma and Travellers in the context of rising extremism, xenophobia and the refugee crisis in Europe

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

• RES 387 (2015) - Voting at 16 – Consequences on youth participation at local and regional level

• 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

• REC382 (2015) and RES392 (2015) - Championing children’s rights in times of austerity

• REC381 (2015) and RES391 (2015) - Fighting the increasing poverty of women: the responsibility of local and regional authorities

• REC376 (2015) and RES386 (2015) - Bringing down barriers to youth participation: adopting a lingua franca for local and regional authorities and young people

• REC347 (2013) and RES362 (2013) - Migrants' access to regional labour markets

• REC343 (2013) and RES358 (2013) - Integration through self-employment: promoting migrant entrepreneurship in European municipalities

• REC262 (2009) and RES281 (2009) - Equality and diversity in local authority employment and service provision

The following thematic activities of the Congress are particularly related to SDG 8:

• Migration and Integration

Congress has issued the following SDG 8 relevant publications:

• Human rights manual - Vol. 2 on social rights
• Making public procurement transparent at local and regional levels

• Migration and integration

• Making Public Procurement transparent at local and regional levels