Jean-Claude Frécon: “Migration reflects a legitimate desire for more human dignity, more security and a better future”
“The issue of migrants is closely linked to the responsibilities of local authorities, which are directly affected by migratory flows. Local and regional authorities are first in line when it comes to catering and providing accommodation for migrants and their families, a particularly difficult...
Congress President meets President of Georgia
'I welcome the work of the Congress and I assure you that decentralisation in Georgia is the basis of strengthening our democracy,' said the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvilide during a meeting in Tbilisi with Jean-Claude Frécon, President of the Congress. 'The signing of the roadmap on...
First national seminar on Roma inclusion in Lithuania
The first national seminar on Roma inclusion took place on 17 December 2015, in Lithuania. 25 elected officials and senior civil servants from Lithuanian cities and regions, participants in the European Alliance for Roma Inclusion, met to exchange their concrete experiences and know-how, as well...
Georgia’s Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure signs road map on local democracy with the Congress
The President of the Congress, Jean-Claude Frécon, and Georgia’s Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure, Nodar Javakhishvili, on 16 December 2015 signed a road map on the implementation of the monitoring recommendations concerning Georgia. The signing of the road map follows on from...
“Mayors - Leaders for change” workshop starts in Ukraine
Speaking at the start of the “Mayors - Leaders for change” workshop in Kyiv on 15 December 2015, Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities and Vice-President of the Congress, outlined the Congress’s role in promoting local democracy in the 47 Council of Europe...
Celebration of the 30th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, in Ukraine
The Congress and the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Communal Services of Ukraine organised a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, in Kyiv, on 14 December 2015, with the participation of Vyacheslav Nehoda, Vice-Minister of...
Jean-Claude Frécon encourages Bulgarian government to keep up dialogue with local and regional authorities
The President of the Congress, Jean-Claude Frécon, met the Bulgarian Minister for Regional Development and Public Works, Lilyana Pavlova, in Sofia on 11 December 2015. The minister expressed the support of her government for dialogue between central government and local and regional authorities...
Jean-Claude Frécon: “Human Rights must be present at all levels of governance”
On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, on 10 December 2015, the President of the Congress, Jean-Claude Frécon, stated that “this day is not only a commemoration, but it is also a stark reminder for us all, because humanity is still far from the ideal it set for itself in 1948”. He...
The President of the Congress welcomes the process of ratification by Bulgaria of the Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority
Jean-Claude Frécon, President of the Congress, and Marie Madeleine Mialot Muller, Chair of the Congress’ Governance Committee met members of the parliamentary committee on regional development in Sofia on 10 December. The President welcomed the recent process of ratification by Bulgaria of the...
The political commitment at the core of a debate between students from Sofia University and the Vice-President of the Congress
On Thursday 10 December 2015, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, President of the Chamber of Regions, and Andreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Congress, held a debate at Sofia University, the oldest university in Bulgaria, with a hundred students from the faculties of regional development, public...
Democracy in action : local governance discussed between Armenian mayors
What are the key principles of leadership and local democracy, how to enhance trust in local authorities and how to engage citizens in ethical decision-making processes, are only few of the many questions discussed during the workshop “Mayors, leaders for change”, organised in Yerevan (Armenia)...
Monitoring visit by the Congress to the Slovak Republic
A delegation from the Congress is to make a monitoring visit to the Slovak Republic from 7 to 9 December. Congress rapporteurs Artur Torres Pereira, (Portugal, EPP/CCE) and Leen Verbeek (The Netherlands, SOC) will examine the follow-up action taken on the commitments made by this country in the...
Jean-Claude Frécon tells the EU Committee of the Regions: “let’s step up our co-operation”
The President of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Jean-Claude Frécon, addressed the 115th plenary session of the EU’s Committee of the Regions in Brussels on Friday 4 December 2015. This was the first time a President of the Congress has addressed the plenary...
Congress organises a workshop “Mayors – Leaders for change” in Tbilisi
The Congress will organise, in close co-operation with the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG), a workshop “Mayors – Leaders for change” in Tbilisi on 24 – 26 November 2015. This workshop is aimed to provide a platform for exchange on local democracy. By involving members...
Involving citizens in the decision-making process, a key feature for enhanced democracy in Georgia
Eighteen Georgian mayors and “gamgebelis”, heads of provincial municipal districts, were sharing best practices and increasing their knowledge of standards of local self-governance within a workshop “Mayors - Leaders for change” organised by the Congress in Tbilisi from 24 - 26 November 2015....
The Latvian example inspires Albanian Mayors and their associations
A delegation composed of local and regional elected representatives, experts and a member of the National Agency for Territorial Reform from Albania participated in a study visit to Latvia, organised jointly with the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, from 24 to 26 November...
World Forum for Democracy 2015 – Freedom vs control: For a democratic response
The Congress will take an active part in the World Forum for Democracy (Strasbourg, 18-20 November 2015), which, this year, will be centred around the theme ‘Freedom vs. control: For a democratic response’. The Congress will sponsor in particular three working session (Labs) on 19 November 2015....
Leen Verbeek: “We need balanced responses and inclusive policies to face the challenge of extremism”
“We are facing a major crisis situation today. It is with balanced policies that go beyond repression and take into account both safety and human rights issues that we can face these challenges together” stated Leen Verbeek (Netherlands, SOC), Vice-President of the Congress, addressing the...
From radicalisation to resilience: the Congress takes part in an international conference organised by the City of Aarhus and the Jutland police
A Congress delegation took part on 19 and 20 November 2015 in an international conference organised by the City of Aarhus (Denmark) on “Building resilience to radicalisation and violent extremism”. “The role of local authorities, the guarantee of individual freedoms through a human rights-based...
Mayors, councillors and local representatives from 22 European countries call for the creation of an Alliance of European cities to prevent radicalisation
Attending the International Conference on the prevention of radicalisation leading to violent extremism, in Aarhus, a hundred or so mayors, councillors and local representatives from 22 European countries adopted a joint declaration. They call for concerted action by local authorities, in close...
