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Democracy, diversity, and sustainability at the heart of CEMR
Since its founding in 1951, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has worked to promote a peaceful, democratic, and united Europe. Rooted in local self-government and citizen participation, CEMR brings together municipalities, counties, and regions across 41 countries, giving local democracy a strong voice at European and international levels.
Our Values
CEMR stands on three core pillars:
- Local democracy: Protecting municipal autonomy, human rights, and the rule of law.
- Sustainability: Guiding action through the United Nations’ Global Goals.
- Diversity: Promoting gender balance, inclusiveness, and respect for differences.
With a team of 40 professionals in Brussels, representing a dozen nationalities and speaking 15 languages, CEMR embodies the European mosaic it serves.
A History of Local Leadership
CEMR was born in 1951 when 56 mayors from six countries gathered in Geneva to lay the foundations of a united Europe from the bottom up. Their early efforts focused on town twinning, fostering reconciliation through exchanges and cultural ties. Today, with some 20,000 twinnings across Europe, this remains the continent’s most widespread form of cooperation.
CEMR also pioneered the push for local autonomy, adopting the European Charter of Municipal Liberties in 1953, which later inspired the Council of Europe’s European Charter of Local Self-Government.
In 1984, CEMR officially added “Regions” to its name, reflecting its advocacy for decentralisation and the growing importance of regional governance.
What We Do Today
CEMR’s mission is organised around four “Ps”: People, Places, Planet, and Partnerships.
- Advocacy: Representing local and regional interests to the EU, the Council of Europe, OECD, and the United Nations. CEMR works to ensure that 70% of EU laws affecting municipalities and regions take account of local realities.
- Knowledge: Sharing expertise and producing ground-breaking studies on local democracy, equality, climate action, migration, and finance.
- Partnerships: Leading externally funded projects on sustainable development, integration, climate, and democracy, including initiatives such as PLATFORMA, IncluCities, and the Covenant of Mayors.
- Communication: Reaching citizens, members, and global partners through campaigns, media work, and digital platforms.
Looking Ahead
Marking its 70th anniversary in 2021, CEMR reflected on past achievements while preparing for future challenges. In an age of polarisation, climate change, and digital transformation, the organisation continues to champion local democracy as the bedrock of peace and progress.
As former CEMR President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing once urged Europe’s young people: “Today, power is there for the taking! It is the power to act, to bring on the future and to organise it.”
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