Fundamental Rights

Upholding and protecting fundamental rights at local and regional level.

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Local and regional authorities (LRAs) play a crucial role in promoting and protecting fundamental rights. As the level of government closest to citizens, they are often the first to identify and respond to human rights challenges in areas such as education, housing, social care, and public safety. 

Key roles of local and regional authorities 

  • Implementing human rights locally: LRAs turn human rights commitments into concrete action through the delivery of essential public services that directly affect residents’ daily lives. 
  • Protecting vulnerable groups: They promote equality and non-discrimination by ensuring access to services for all, including minorities, migrants, persons with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness. 
  • Providing accessible remedies: Local authorities can establish independent complaint mechanisms, such as ombudspersons, making it easier for citizens to report and address rights violations. 
  • Empowering citizens: LRAs raise awareness of fundamental rights and help individuals understand and claim them. 
  • Supporting civil society and participation: Local governments foster open dialogue and partnerships with civil society organisations, and create opportunities for citizen engagement through public consultations, participatory budgeting, and local forums. 
  • Safeguarding democracy: LRAs are well placed to detect and respond to threats such as disinformation or interference in local democratic processes, and helping protect freedoms of expression, information, and political participation. 
  • Promoting civic education: They support initiatives that encourage informed and active citizenship, particularly among young people and vulnerable groups. 

In recent years, several initiatives have been taken towards protecting and promoting democracy and fundamental rights at the local and regional level. The CoR has established the EU Local Councillors Network (EULC) to increase citizens' ownership of the European project by involving their locally elected politicians. Since 2021, the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award, established by the CoR in partnership with the City of Gdańsk and the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), continues to promote democratic values such as freedom of thought, diversity and solidarity, fighting xenophobia and hate speech, and the promotion of equal opportunities, social integration and fundamental rights.  

Many cities such as Barcelona, Gdańsk, Lund, Sopot and Vienna are becoming a "Human Rights City" by explicitly committing to the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights' framework for reinforcing rights locally, engaging actively in the promotion of democratic values and civic engagement, and integrating human rights principles into all aspects of urban governance. In parallel, a growing number of European capitals such as Barcelona, Vienna and Cascais are joining the initiative 'European Capital of Democracy', creating new opportunities for democratic innovation and exchange, and exploring new forms of participatory and inclusive democracy. 

Cooperation with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)    

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union enshrines into primary EU law a wide array of fundamental rights enjoyed by EU citizens and residents. The Charter applies to EU and Member States authorities whenever they act within the scope of EU law.

The CoR has established close cooperation with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights to raise awareness of the Charter among local and regional authorities and support the promotion and protection of fundamental rights at the local level. 

Since 2009, the CIVEX Commission and the FRA have held an Annual Dialogue providing an opportunity to discuss fundamental rights issues of relevance at regional and local level and share knowledge on local and regional fundamental rights practices across the EU. Some of the topics addressed in these Annual Dialogues include: 

  • the fight against discrimination and intolerance; 
  • the protection and integration of refugees and displaced persons; 
  • child protection; 
  • the role of local and regional authorities in strengthening democracy and fundamental rights in the EU.

Beyond the Annual Dialogue, the CoR and FRA cooperate through joint activities such as European Week of Regions and Cities workshops, trainings, thematic presentations at CIVEX commission's meetings, input by FRA to CoR opinions, contributing to their respective conferences and events, promoting CoR and FRA opinions, studies, reports, toolkits, and training materials. 

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EU Funding opportunities 

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Opinions

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