Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level

The European Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local is a Council of Europe Convention, which was created at the initiative of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and dated 5 May 1992. The Convention establishes the principle of gradual granting of civil and political rights, including voting rights, to resident aliens and foreigners in European municipalities.

Content of the Convention

The Convention is intended to improve the integration of foreign citizens within the communities and is applicable to all persons who are not nationals of the country concerned, but their lawful residence in its territory have ( Art. 2 ).

Foreign residents should have the same "classic fundamental rights " as nationals of that State. This includes the freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association (Article 3), which includes the right to form and join trade unions.

The Convention makes it possible to form advisory committees in the municipalities ( Article 5), which can be chosen by the foreign residents or their members are nominated by their clubs and associations.

The Parties to the Convention undertake furthermore, every foreigner who in the last five years lawful habitual residence in that State before the election to ensure the active and passive right to vote ( art. 6 ). The parties must have their foreign residents inform about their rights and responsibilities in local public life ( article 8 ). The Convention obliges the Member States to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the developments of the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local to report ( Art.10 ).

Ratifications

The Convention entered into force on 1 May 1997 and has been from eight Member States (Albania, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden) ratified the Council of Europe. The Federal Republic of Germany has the agreement with regard to constitutional concerns so far neither signed nor ratified. . However, the Member States of the Council remains the possibility of the Agreement without the article vote for foreigners right to sign.