30^th SESSION

[CG30(2016)17]

Check against delivery

Communication by Jean-Claude Frécon, President of the Congress, at the opening of the 30th session

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Dear Colleagues,

At the opening of our session, at this beginning of the year 2016, I would like to share with you my thoughts concerning the situation in Europe.

No one would deny that dark clouds are gathering over the continent and that they are coming from all directions.

Waves of migrants and refugees have continued both to arrive at Europe’s external borders and in many cases to cross into Europe. European states’ difficulty in reaching an agreement on the reception and integration of these hundreds of thousands of persons has, alas, revealed an absence of real solidarity.

Clouds are also gathering as a result of serious conflicts not only on Europe’s doorstep, in the Middle East and Africa, but also in Europe itself, with the continuing violence in the Donbass region and the renewed tensions between some of our Organisation’s member states.

There are yet other clouds in the form of the economic and financial crisis, which continues, despite a number of sunny spells here and there, with few noteworthy signs of improvement where unemployment and particularly youth unemployment are concerned.

And last but not least clouds formed by the terrorist threats which hang over us like a Sword of Damocles and may well strike one of our countries or one of our cities at any time.

The terrorist attacks carried out in Paris in November are still very much in our minds, all the more so because they were followed by others in several countries, in particular Turkey where they have occurred again and again. The fear of similar attacks is such that a state of emergency is still in force here in France, while we are meeting.

All of these threats affect our societies, our populations, and our citizens, but they also affect the European institutions. The European Union and the European vision have been undermined and the Schengen area is on the point of imploding before our eyes. Our governments’ failure to manage these crises is threatening the very idea of Europe.

The European Union is admittedly first in the line of fire in this major crisis but the Council of Europe is also affected when, in order to rise to the challenges they encounter, our member states’ governments are prepared to give up that which is at the very core of our mission. Human rights and the rule of law are currently under very real threat in most of our countries. Revolt is brewing throughout our societies and populism is flourishing. We are witnessing the emergence of increasingly authoritarian governments in several of our member states. Newspapers are being closed down, some televisions are being censored and others refused the right to broadcast; freedom of thought and expression are threatened a little more each day.

I do not wish to draw a deliberately bleak picture of the continent but nor do I wish to pretend that we do not have legitimate concerns. Turning a blind eye to these threats means accepting the problems which will inevitably follow. We have a duty to make an honest assessment of the situation if we want to avoid such problems.

This week we will be considering our Congress’ work to strengthen local and regional democracy. One might legitimately ask whether, in this increasingly difficult context, our activities are not marginal, not to say inadequate. And one might be tempted to reply that “yes, there are more urgent matters than local democracy!”

But quite the opposite is true and we must continue to point out that local and regional authorities are key actors in democracy at all levels. They help to ensure good governance and the democratic stability of states. They have ideas on how to respond and are in a position to combat the threats facing us. But their opinion is not sought often enough; they are not sufficiently consulted or mobilised; and they are not sufficiently networked. Central governments do not do enough to involve them and do not communicate with them sufficiently.

We can see this in cases concerning terrorism and radicalisation. Not only do governments not co-operate sufficiently with one another but they do not use all available domestic resources. Instead of opting for law enforcement alone, governments should do more to involve local and regional authorities, which, owing to their proximity to the citizens, are in a better position to help prevent potentially dangerous situations.

As regards the economic and financial crisis affecting our countries, I firmly believe that local and regional authorities are also key players in economic recovery for they can act as a lever by fostering work and investment at local level.

Dear Colleagues, given the threats facing our societies, states may be very tempted to increase their powers. But it must be borne in mind that local and regional authorities have become an essential element of government. It is by strengthening their role and their powers that we can together help to find appropriate solutions to the problems facing us.

Our European Charter of Local Self-Government is an essential part of this system. It is a text that is applicable and which remains up-to-date and relevant; it provides guidance to local and regional authorities on how to rise to the challenges facing us, challenges which are undeniably more serious than any we have faced since the end of the Second World War.

I wish to convey this message not only with gravity but also and above all in the firm belief that we local and regional representatives hold part of the answer to the problems facing Europe.

Dear colleagues, this session which is now opening will provide the opportunity to discuss the problems I have just described. We must work with conviction and determination, and spare no effort. I trust that this session will be fruitful and rewarding for each and every one of us.

Thank you for your attention