13/10/2009 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
The reference framework on regional democracy that has been proposed by governments is a “poor substitute” for a full European Charter of Regional Democracy, and the Parliamentary Assembly will “continue the battle” to achieve the stronger text, the Chair of PACE’s Environment Committee told the Council of Europe Congress today.
In an address to its plenary session on behalf of PACE President Lluís Maria de Puig, Alan Meale (United Kingdom, SOC) said he “deeply regretted” the decision to draft only a reference framework, instead of a Charter equivalent to the successful European Charter of Local Self-Government, but dealing with regional rather than local affairs.
Presenting the main issues discussed at the recent Parliamentary Assembly session, Mr Meale also appealed to the Congress to support the Assembly’s call for an additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights on the “right to live in a healthy environment”.