[CEMRin a nutshell]<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Council <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> European Municipalities <strong>and</strong> Regi<strong>on</strong>s (CEMR)is a n<strong>on</strong>-pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>it associati<strong>on</strong>. It is the broadest associati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><strong>local</strong> <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>government</strong> in Europe. Its members arenati<strong>on</strong>al associati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>local</strong> <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>government</strong>sfrom over thirty European countries.<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> main aim <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> CEMR is to promote a str<strong>on</strong>g, united Europebased <strong>on</strong> <strong>local</strong> <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al self-<strong>government</strong> <strong>and</strong> democracy;a Europe in which decisi<strong>on</strong>s are taken as closely as possible toits citizens, in line with the principle <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> subsidiarity.CEMR'S ACTIVITIESInfluencing European legislati<strong>on</strong>EU legislati<strong>on</strong> – in fields such as the envir<strong>on</strong>ment, publicprocurement, structural funds, state aids <strong>and</strong> competiti<strong>on</strong> law -has a huge <str<strong>on</strong>g>impact</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>local</strong> <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>government</strong> acrossEurope. Influencing European laws is thus <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> CEMR’s keyactivities. Working closely with its nati<strong>on</strong>al associati<strong>on</strong>s, CEMRdraws up policy positi<strong>on</strong>s, which form the basis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>ses tothe European Commissi<strong>on</strong>, especially through its dialogue <strong>and</strong>c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> processes, <strong>and</strong> for lobbying the Parliament <strong>and</strong> theCouncil <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Ministers, e.g. via specific amendments.Shaping the future <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> EuropeCEMR works for a Europe that respects the principle <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>subsidiarity <strong>and</strong> <strong>local</strong> <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al self-governance, a Europein which all spheres <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>government</strong> (<strong>local</strong>, regi<strong>on</strong>al, nati<strong>on</strong>al,EU) work together as partners. CEMR has campaigned fora European C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong> that recognizes the role <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>municipalities, towns <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>s; it has also helped <strong>local</strong><strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>government</strong>s from new EU member states toprepare for accessi<strong>on</strong> to the EU.CEMR’s role is to facilitate the flow <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> theseexperiences, to spread ideas <strong>and</strong> skills to all its members.To achieve this, CEMR organises working groups, seminars <strong>and</strong>c<strong>on</strong>ferences that enable its members to meet <strong>and</strong> discusstheir c<strong>on</strong>cerns <strong>and</strong> ideas.Supporting town twinningCEMR has created the c<strong>on</strong>cept <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> European town twinning,which stems from the idea that a peaceful <strong>and</strong> successfulEurope can be best built at its base, by its citizens. Today, thereare over 30,000 town twinnings across Europe, <strong>and</strong> supportfor this unique movement remains <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> CEMR’s priorities –in particular, by co-coordinating the work <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> twinning <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficers.CEMR works closely with the European Commissi<strong>on</strong>(DG Culture <strong>and</strong> Educati<strong>on</strong>) <strong>and</strong> the Parliament to ensurenecessary financial <strong>and</strong> policy support for the twinningmovement.Strengthening <strong>local</strong><strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>government</strong> in the worldCEMR is the European secti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the world organisati<strong>on</strong><str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> towns <strong>and</strong> municipalities, United Cities <strong>and</strong> LocalGovernments (UCLG). Within UCLG, the Council <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> EuropeanMunicipalities <strong>and</strong> Regi<strong>on</strong>s promotes democracy, <strong>local</strong>self-<strong>government</strong> <strong>and</strong> ex<str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> experience across the world.It also promotes North-South co-operati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> capacitybuilding.Exchanging informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> experienceTaken together, <strong>local</strong>ities <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>s c<strong>on</strong>stitute a well <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>experience in their domains <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> competences (social welfare,ec<strong>on</strong>omic development, envir<strong>on</strong>ment, transport…).
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