The Draft European Charter of Regional Democracy not having been accepted by the Congress in the form of a convention, the so-called Reference Framework on Regional Democracy was elaborated instead. This Reference Framework was adopted by the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government in November 2009 in Utrecht (Netherlands).
The Reference Framework has two principal functions: to serve as a source of inspiration when countries decide to establish or reform their regional authorities; and to act as a body of principles on which the Congress can rely in monitoring regional democracy in the Council of Europe member states.
The Reference Framework on Regional Democracy was presented and discussed at the AER 25th Anniversary Conference.
