Latest news


EU citizenship is more than individual rights !

On May 9th the European Commission started a public consultation on EU citizenship. The title of the consultation is "Your rights, Your Future" - and this already shows the limited understanding of citizenship by the European Commission.Citizens have rights and obligations, but there is more to citizenship than this.
Citizenship means primarily active involvement of citizens as participation in the life of their communities, and thus in democracy, in terms of activity and decision-making on local, regional, national and European level.

The consultation will be the basis for the next Citizenship report to be published on the Europe Day in 2013 and is linked to the European Year of Citizens 2013. Civil Society Organisations are advocating, with support from the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee, to widen the scope for the European Year and a broder understanding of citizenship.

Now we need your help by expressing your opinion on how you see "Your Future" in Europe.
Take part in the public consultation (available in all 22 languages) to raise your voice and to show that a united Europe means more than individual rights!

Read more

“Human rights make for more inclusive communities” is the leading theme of European Local Democracy Week 2012 (15-21 October 2012)

Following the general co-ordination meeting organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of he Council of Europe in Paris on 19 January, the leading theme of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) 2012 has been defined as “Human rights make for more inclusive communities”.

From 15 to 21 October 2012, European municipalities will be encouraged to develop – based on the leading theme – targeted programmes and activities according to their own priorities, such as involving vulnerable groups, improving inter-generational dialogue, ensuring public service quality etc. Should a clash of dates arise, for example the holding of local elections, or the overlapping of other relevant events, local authorities may choose to organise the ELDW on different dates in October.

At the meeting, the representatives from municipalities, national associations and European networks assessed the results of the 2011 edition of the European Local Democracy Week.