Governance and citizenship

Mayor of Vienna Michael Häupl awarded former CEMR secretaries general Elisabeth Gateau and Jeremy Smith with the Gold Decoration for Services to the City of Vienna on 9 December 2013. The award ceremony was a tribute to Gateau and Smith’s contributions for services rendered to the City of Vienna during their terms as secretary general.

Elisabeth Gateau, who served from 1990-2002, was acknowledged for her support to the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns via the LOGON project. The project, founded within CEMR in 1998 on the initiative of Austria, Finland, and Sweden, assisted towns and municipal associations in the then candidate countries with accession negotiations and preparations for EU membership.

As secretary general from 2002-2009, Jeremy Smith was recognised for his role in producing the Charter on local and regional services in 2009. The Charter ensures that principles of local and regional self-government are upheld, as Europe is at its strongest when its local governments are free to make decisions on public services in the interests of their local citizens. Smith was particularly mindful to involve Eastern and South-Eastern European countries in the production of the Charter.

Mayor Häupl, who served as President of CEMR between 2004 and 2010, stressed CEMR’s commitment to advocating for local and regional authorities towards the EU institutions while highlighting the honourees’ specific contributions and dedication.