Revised European Charter on The Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life (2013)
ISBN 978-92-871-7523-6

Young people have the right to be involved in democratic structures and processes, have their voice heard and make decisions on issues that impact on them and their lives. Their diversity of experience, ideas and skills are unique resources for society. Young people’s active participation in decisions and actions at local/regional levels is essential if we are to build more democratic, inclusive and prosperous societies.

The Revised Charter contains principles, best practices and guidelines to enhance youth participation at local/regional levels. It is not a legally binding instrument but member states have a moral responsibility to implement it.

European Charter of Local Self-Government and explanatory reports (2010)
ISBN 978-92-871-6943-3

The spectacular advance of local and regional democracy was the main innovation of the 20th century democracy. The recognition of local democracy by the Council of Europe member states led to the elaboration of the European Charter of Local Self-Government - the first international binding treaty that guarantees the rights of communities and their elected authorities. This text, which affirms the role of communities as the first level for the exercise of democracy, has become the benchmark international treaty in this area.

The European Charter of Local Self-Government was drawn up within the Council of Europe on the basis of a draft proposed by the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE), predecessor of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. It was opened for signature as a convention by the Council of Europe member states on 15 October 1985, and entered into force on 1 September 1988. As at 1 January 2010, the Charter has been ratified by 44 out of the 47 Council of Europe member states.

The countries which have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires compliance with a minimum number of principles that form a European foundation of local democracy. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities makes sure that these principles are observed.

On 16 November 2009, an Additional Protocol was adopted to supplement the text of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. It relates to the right to participate in local authorities’ affairs.

Gods in the city - Intercultural and inter-religious dialogue at local level (2008)
ISBN 978-92-871-6384-4

Clearly, "God is changing in Europe": religious faiths and beliefs are increasingly making their presence felt in the public arena, at all levels. Because religions are more and more often behind the forging and assertion of multiple identities, the authorities have a duty to take the utmost account of them when establishing democratic rules and arrangements for "living together". Local authorities are ideally placed to lead this work, which requires creativity, imagination, a willingness to engage in dialogue and the opening of meeting places.

Such an approach needs to go hand-in-hand with an analysis of this new state of affairs. It also calls for the sharing of experience. It is for this reason that the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has chosen this avenue and launched a debate, in which local political figures and university researchers have been closely involved. The fact that it is sizing up the issues thrown up by intercultural and interfaith dialogue and opting for an approach based on mutual knowledge means that it has chosen from the outset to break new ground. This is the key objective of this European contribution to democratic debate and to action by the authorities in the context of religious pluralism.

50 years of local and regional democracy in Europe (1957-2007) (2008)
ISBN 978-92-871-6385-1

In 2007, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the representative and the voice of local and regional authorities throughout the continent, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its creation. Originally conceived to make the voice of local authorities count in the incipient European unification, with the passing years it was able to transcend this strict role in order to help to reshape the continent in its own way, particularly by promoting regional policies.

This study follows the growth of the Congress and presents the many initiatives it has taken to help the towns and regions of Europe to develop harmoniously, whether at the political, economic, social, cultural, or environmental level. It has been behind numerous European conventions, today recognised all over the continent, and tirelessly contributes to the consolidation of local and regional democracy in Europe.

Besides its work, it is the podium and the meeting place for all European local and regional elected representatives, giving it specificity and a wealth unique among the European institutions. While retracing the path travelled over the past fifty years, this study highlights the importance of the towns and regions for tomorrow's Europe and presents the major challenges facing them for the future, together with the solutions that will enable them to meet those challenges.