The 12 PRINCIPLES
Democratic participation
There must be effective and inclusive democratic participation, including regular, free and fair elections, and significant engagement of the local authority with the individuals they serve.
Human Rights
Respecting human rights must be guaranteed – protecting everyone, and including the values of justice, dignity, equality and respect –, pursuant to international and European regulations, in particular the Statute of the Council of Europe (STE No. 1) and the European Human Rights Convention (STE No. 5).
Rule of law
The Rule of Law must be respected, by providing legal certainty for everybody – including a predictable right of people being treated with dignity, equally, rationally and with equity – within a framework that guarantees the separation of powers and judicial independence throughout the country.
Public ethics
The strictest public ethical standards must be observed to guarantee that the government, public institutions and their staff serve the public interest.
Accountability
The accountability mechanisms must guarantee that the government, public institutions and the municipal staff assume responsibility for their actions and decisions. They must be held accountable and accept any proportionate sanction or consequence of inappropriate decisions or omissions.
Openness and transparency
Openness and transparency must be guaranteed, so that the decision-making processes in which the government, public institutions and their staff participate are available and accessible to the public within the limits established by law; are as necessary in a democratic society; suitable for the goals sought; and even involve the appropriate use of digital tools.
Quality, effective and efficient administration
Efficient, effective and quality administration must prevail throughout the government and public institutions, with the participation of all their staff, in order to optimise the use of public resources to foster the well-being of the people they serve, without discrimination.
Leadership, skills and abilities
Long-term and constant effort is required to strengthen the organisational leadership of local government, along with the skills and abilities of municipal staff; with aim of the fundamentals of good democratic governance to be effective.
Responsiveness
The government, public institutions and their staff must respond to the legitimate expectations and needs of the people they serve.
Robust financial and economic mnanagement
Robust financial and economic management must be ensured by the government overall, by the public institutions and by their staff, in order to guarantee the optimum use of public resources and the application policies that foster citizen well-being and prosperity.
Sustanability and long-term orientation
The emphasis must be on maximising the sustainability of the decisions and actions of the government, the public institutions and their staff; their impact on future generations and their ability to address their own needs must be taken into account.
Openness to change and innovation
The government, public institutions and their staff must be able to proactively adapt to change and innovation, provided that can improve the resistance and quality of the public services, taking into account the expectations and changing situations. They must work extensively with other stakeholders or institutions to harness best practices and to improve expertise.
EACH OF THE 12 PRINCIPLES HAVE SEVERAL INDICATORS TO MEASURE THEIR COMPLIANCE
Discover what the indicators are