A key highlight was the adoption of the "Checklist on Preventing Corruption and Promoting Integrity at Local and Regional Levels" as a contribution to the New Democratic Pact for Europe. Developed alongside the monitoring focusing on subnational authorities by the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the Checklist provides practical self-assessment criteria for local and regional authorities in areas such as anti-corruption strategies, standards of conduct, conflict of interest management, public procurement, transparency and citizen engagement. Input from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) contributed to this debate.
The Committee also approved the report "Missing Out: Tackling School Absenteeism in Europe's Communities", recognising the growing concern over absenteeism and its impact on educational and social outcomes. The report offers local authorities early detection tools and encourages multi-agency strategies. The debate benefited from substantive expert and UNESCO contributions.
Both reports will be debated further at the 51st Congress Session in October 2026.
Progress updates were shared on ongoing thematic reports, including approaches for recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine with a focus on sustainable economies at the local and regional levels, local and regional action to promote biodiversity as well as regions and territories with special status.
