50 years of local and regional democracy in Europe (1957-2007)

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.

Foreword Introduction 1957-1962: The early years of the Conference of Local Authorities First session of the Conference: Europe from the ECSC to Budapest Towards a real "standing" conference Some dominant themes of the 1960s: the ECSC, housing and town twinning The 1970s: Towards a European definition of the regions The Congress, a mover or a spectator of regionalisation? Culture is also the business of local and regional authorities Gérard Baloup: The CLRAE has shown that there is no Europe without local democracy From the 1980s to 1994: The advent of the European Charter of Local Self-Government The 1980 convention gives a promising boost to transfrontier co-operation The European Charter of Local Self-Government, cornerstone of local democracy in Europe The principal articles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, excerpt from Article 7 of Part II The European Urban Charter The city of the future as defined by the Urban Charter, Article 3, paragraph 5 Devolution in Central and Eastern Europe: Poland's example 1994 to 2007: The Congress takes off Two landmark actions: observing elections and monitoring local democracy Country specific reports Monitoring local and regional democracy Rinaldo Locatelli: "The destruction of the Berlin Wall and the Charter of Local Self-Government have shaped the present-day Congress" The Charter of Regional Self-Government and the development of regional policies The European policy of the German Lander A major project: foreigners' participation in local affairs Young people's participation in local and regional life Excerpt from the preamble to the (revised) European Charter on the participation of young people in local and regional life The European Landscape Convention An essential partner: the European Committee for Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) The Local Democracy Agencies and the NALAS and ENTO networks Relations with the European Union: Committee of the Regions, and "RegLeg” Testimonies of elected representatives belonging to the Congress. Future prospects Advancement of humanist values in Europe Excerpt from the Congress declaration against human trafficking Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas: a new generation of Euroregions The future of the Congress