Governance and citizenship

CEMR stresses in its response to the Commission's consultation the importance of the role of local government in combating poverty, and of good governance as a development tool. It thus underlines the importance of an explicit reference to local government beside other non-state actors in land use planning including rural and urban development.

 

Furthermore, CEMR believes that funding development aid should include specific aid modalities on twinning between EU municipalities and their beneficiary partners. By this way, the local government sector will be able to play its role as part of a coherent and consistent EU policy for development.

 

CEMR welcomes the inclusion of local governments amongst development actors designed by the Commission, in citizens' rights, good governance for serving development policy, environment and sustainable urban planning. In this way, the role of Europe's local associations so as CEMR is vital.

 

CEMR recalls that UNDP report's on poverty (2000) refers namely to decentralisation as vital in combating poverty, and believes that good local governance take place as an important institutional policy developement's key. Local associations can promote bottom-up approaches and local experiences on the spot.

The European Commission launched after the last Council's and Commission's statement on the European Community developement policy in 2000. It aimed at addressing new political priorities, in particular the security strategy in an enlarged EU, and to fulfil its financial commitments in development policy.

 

CEMR's response to Commission's consultation on EU policy development

 

CEMR's activities in the field of north-south cooperation

Commission's consultation (7/01/05)