Morocco Gets EU Status of Partner in Local Democracy

Morocco has been granted the status of partner in local democracy by the Bureau of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

The North African Kingdom has obtained this status thanks to its sustained efforts in decentralization and regionalization. This initiative is part of the Council of Europe’s neighborhood policy and offers the countries concerned a special framework for institutional dialogue with their European counterparts.

The Partner for Local Democracy status enables elected representatives of local authorities of countries in the Council of Europe’s neighborhood to participate, within the Congress, in strengthening local and regional democracy. It is a fundamental factor for the development and consolidation of genuine pluralist democracy.

‟The Kingdom of Morocco is a long-standing partner of the Council of Europe and participates in the work of several of its bodies such as the Venice Commission, the North-South Centre, the Pompidou Group and the Parliamentary Assembly”, said Gudrun Mosler -Tornstrom, President of the Congress.

‟By joining our Assembly of elected local and regional representatives, the Moroccan authorities have confirmed their desire to anchor Moroccan local democracy in the values of the Council of Europe and the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government”, she added.

‟We welcome the strengthening of our co-operation and are delighted to receive, in Strasbourg, a delegation of Moroccan local and regional elected representatives, which will be the first to benefit from this special status”, said Piero Fassino, spokesperson for the South-Mediterranean Partnership.

Morocco has ratified several Council of Europe treaties, has taken part in the Pompidou Group’s Mediterranean Network (MedNET) since 2006, is member of the Venice Commission since 2007, member of the North-South Center since 2009 and has the Partner for Democracy status granted by the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in 2011. In 2016, 11 Moroccan cities joined the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities network.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 47 member-states. As the voice of Europe’s municipalities and regions, it works to foster consultation and political dialogue between national governments and local and regional authorities.