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Congress of European Municipalities and Regions
CEMR statutory affairs - 15.05.2006
CEMR's general assembly: One single political declaration for European local and regional governments
Some 1,200 local and regional representatives from 36 European countries adopted the final declaration of CEMR's general assembly, on 12 May 2006 in Innsbruck.
The final declaration calls for the inclusion of a reference to the European charter of local self-government in the future European Constitution or equivalant treaty, as a means to bring the European Union closer to her citizens. They also insist that, whatever the outcome of the ratification process of the Constitution, the gains achieved for local and regional government and for the democratic working of the Union must be maintained and strengthened.
Public services and local and regional government
The representatives of Europe's local and regional government also state that the principle of local and regional self-government gives each authority the right to chose how best, in the public interest, each service should be delivered and financed: We oppose all attempts, whether at national or European levels, to impose specific models of service delivery.
The local and regional dimension of development
The declaration expresses the participants' backing for action by Europe's local and regional governments in support of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and adds that these goals cannot be achieved without the active participation of cities and local governments across the world. It calls on the European Union, on all countries in which CEMR has members, and the wider international community, to support UN Habitat's guidelines on decentralisation and the strenghtening of local authorities.