InfoPoint Virtual Conference: "Decentralization today – Regional insights"

In the margins of the 8th edition of the Forum « Cities and Regions for International Partnerships », co-organized by the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions, from 29th November to 1st December 2023, the EC–DG INTPA’s Unit G2 is organizing an InfoPoint session on decentralization.

The seminar will present a brief overview of regional decentralization trends in Africa, Asia and Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, based on three studies which have been produced in the context of the EU-funded “Territorial Approach to Local Development” (TALD) Facility. The TALD approach was embraced by the European Commission to make the link between decentralization and development, in line with the EC 2013 Communication on empowering local authorities as developmental actors. The InfoPoint session will also give the floor to elected local authorities and experts from these regions to share their direct views on the subject, with concrete examples from their country contexts. 

The overall objective of this session is to help EU staff and MS better understand the importance of decentralization reforms to foster local democratic governance and inclusive progress towards the SDGs, as well as in creating a favorable enabling environment for local authorities to play their development role efficiently. Besides, it will also show how decentralization processes in EU partner countries can be concretely supported through the TALD Facility.

This session is intended for EU staff working at headquarters (EC, EEAS) and in Delegations as well as for EU Member States interested in the topic. It aims to provide them with a better understanding of the decentralization challenges in EU partner countries, with a regional perspective.