European Charter of local self-government

Party

Serbia modified

• added reservation
  21-01-2026
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 3, of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the Government of the Republic of Serbia notifies the following: “Referring to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, done at Strasbourg, on 15 October 1985, the Republic of Serbia declares that it also considers itself to be bound by further Charter provisions: - Article 6, paragraphs 1 and 2 ; - Article 7, paragraph 2.”

General information

• Entry into force: 01-09-1988

Kingdom part

Netherlands (in Europe)

• Entry into force: 01-07-1991

Party

Albania

• Signature: 27-05-1998
• Ratification: 04-04-2000 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-08-2000

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Signature: 12-07-2002
• Ratification: 12-07-2002 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-11-2002

Czech Republic

• Signature: 28-05-1998
• Ratification: 07-05-1999 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1999

Estonia

• Signature: 04-11-1993
• Ratification: 16-12-1994 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-04-1995

Germany

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 17-05-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1988

Greece

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 06-09-1989 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-01-1990

Hungary

• Signature: 06-04-1992
• Ratification: 21-03-1994 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-07-1994

Iceland

• Signature: 20-11-1985
• Ratification: 25-03-1991 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-07-1991

Ireland

• Signature: 07-10-1997
• Ratification: 14-05-2002 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-2002

Italy

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 11-05-1990 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1990

Latvia

• Signature: 05-12-1996
• Ratification: 05-12-1996 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-04-1997

Liechtenstein

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 11-05-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1988

Lithuania

• Signature: 27-11-1996
• Ratification: 22-06-1999 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-10-1999

Luxembourg

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 15-05-1987 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1988

Malta

• Signature: 13-07-1993
• Ratification: 06-09-1993 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-01-1994

Moldova

• Signature: 02-05-1996
• Ratification: 02-10-1997 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-02-1998

Montenegro

• Signature: 24-06-2005
• Ratification: 12-09-2008 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-01-2009

North Macedonia

• Signature: 14-06-1996
• Ratification: 06-06-1997 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-10-1997

Norway

• Signature: 26-05-1989
• Ratification: 26-05-1989 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1989

Poland

• Signature: 19-02-1993
• Ratification: 22-11-1993 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-03-1994

Portugal

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 18-12-1990 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-04-1991

Romania

• Signature: 04-10-1994
• Ratification: 28-01-1998 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-05-1998

Slovenia

• Signature: 11-10-1994
• Ratification: 15-11-1996 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-03-1997

Spain

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 08-11-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-03-1989

Sweden

• Signature: 04-10-1988
• Ratification: 29-08-1989 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-12-1989

Türkiye

• Signature: 21-11-1988
• Ratification: 09-12-1992 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-04-1993

Ukraine

• Signature: 06-11-1996
• Ratification: 11-09-1997 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-01-1998

United Kingdom

• Signature: 03-06-1997
• Ratification: 24-04-1998 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-08-1998

Andorra

• Signature: 27-10-2010
• Ratification: 23-03-2011 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-07-2011
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  23-03-2011
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter, the Principality of Andorra declares itself bound by the following Articles and paragraphs : Article 2; Article 3: paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 4: paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; Article 5; Article 6: paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 7: paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 8: paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 9: paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7; Article 10: paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 11.

Armenia

• Signature: 11-05-2001
• Ratification: 25-01-2002 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-05-2002
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  25-01-2002
  In accordance with Article 12 of the Charter, the Republic of Armenia declares to be bound by the following Articles and paragraphs: Article 2 Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2 Article 4, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Article 7, paragraphs 1 and 3 Article 8, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Article 10, paragraphs 1 and 2 Article 11

  reservation
  18-12-2015
  In accordance with Article 12 of the Charter, the Republic of Armenia declares to be bound by the following Articles and paragraphs: Article 5; Article 6; Article 7, paragraph 2; Article 10, paragraph 3.

Austria

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 23-09-1987 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1988
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  23-09-1987
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2 of the Charter, the Republic of Austria declares to consider herself bound by the following Articles and paragraphs: - Article 2 - Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2 - Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 4 - Article 5, - Article 7, paragraph 1 - Article 9, paragraphs 1 to 3 - Article 10, paragraph 1 and: - Article 4, paragraph 6 - Article 6, paragraphs 1 and 2 - Article 7, paragraph 3 - Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 3 - Article 9, paragraphs 4 to 8 - Article 10, paragraphs 2 and 3

Azerbaijan

• Signature: 21-12-2001
• Ratification: 15-04-2002 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-08-2002
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  15-04-2002
  In accordance with Article 12 of the Charter, the Republic of Azerbaijan declares to consider itself bound by the following Articles and paragraphs: Article 2; Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 4, paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6; Article 5; Article 6, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 7, paragraphs 1 and 3; Article 8, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8; Article 10, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 11. The Republic of Azerbaijan declares that it will be unable to guarantee the application of the provisions of the Charter in the territories occupied by the Republic of Armenia until these territories are liberated from that occupation [...].

  reservation
  13-11-2013
  The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan No.690-IVQ dated 21 June 2013, decided to replace the phrase "Article 10, paragraphs 1 and 2" in its declaration concerning Article 12 of the Charter with the phrase "Article 10, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3".

Belgium

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 25-08-2004 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-12-2004
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  25-08-2004
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter, the Kingdom of Belgium declares that it considers itself bound by the following provisions of the Charter : - Article 2; - Article 3, paragraph 1; - Article 4, paragraphs 1 to 6; - Article 5; - Article 6, paragraphs 1 and 2; - Article 7, paragraphs 1 to 3; - Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 3; - Article 9, paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8; - Article 10, paragraphs 1 to 3, - Article 11. In accordance with Article 13 of the Charter, the Kingdom of Belgium considers that it intends to confine the scope of the Charter to the provinces and municipalities. In accordance with the same Article, the provisions of the Charter do not apply to the "Centres publics d'Aide sociale" (CPAS) on the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region.

Bulgaria

• Signature: 03-10-1994
• Ratification: 10-05-1995 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1995
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  08-08-2012
  The Republic of Bulgaria shall be considered bound by all the paragraphs of Part I of the European Charter.

Croatia

• Signature: 11-10-1997
• Ratification: 11-10-1997 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-02-1998
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  26-06-2008
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 3, of the Charter, the Republic of Croatia declares that it also considers itself bound by the following paragraphs of the Charter: Article 4, paragraphs 3, 5 and 6; Article 8, paragraph 3; Artilcle 9, paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Article 10, paragraph 2.

Cyprus

• Signature: 08-10-1986
• Ratification: 16-05-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1988
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  26-02-2003
  Refering to the European Charter of Local Self-Government and , more specifically, to its Government's Declaration contained in the instrument of ratification deposited on 16 May 1988, the Republic of Cyprus declares that it considers itself bound by Article 5 of the said Charter.

Denmark

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 03-02-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1988
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  12-10-2007
  The Danish Government has decided with effect as from 1 January 2007 to withdraw the declaration made at the time of deposit of its instrument of acceptance of the Charter, and make the following new declaration on the scope of the Charter in Denmark: In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, cf. paragraph 1, the Kingdom of Denmark considers itself bound by the European Charter of Local Self-Government in its entirety. In accordance with Articles 13 and 16 of the Charter, the Kingdom of Denmark considers that the provisions of the Charter shall apply to its municipalities ("kommuner"). The Charter shall not apply to Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Finland

• Signature: 14-06-1990
• Ratification: 03-06-1991 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-10-1991
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  21-07-2021
  In accordance with Articles 12 and 13 of the Charter, the Government of the Republic of Finland notify that, because of the subsequent changes in the administrative structure in Finland that have taken place after the ratification of the Europe Charter of Local Self-Government, the provisions of the Charter apply to the local authorities, i.e. municipalities (“kunnat”) of Finland. As regards autonomous regions larger than municipalities, i.e. the wellbeing service counties of continental Finland (“Manner-Suomen hyvinvointialueet”), Finland considers itself bound by the following provisions: - Article 2, - Article 3, - Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 3-6, - Article 5, - Article 6, - Article 7, - Article 8, - Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2 and 4-7, - Article 10, - Article 11. Because the above-mentioned changes in the administrative structure do not concern the autonomous region of the Åland Islands, the Charter applies on the Åland Islands to local authorities, i.e. municipalities (“kommuner”).

France

• Signature: 15-10-1985
• Ratification: 17-01-2007 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-05-2007
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  17-01-2007
  The French Republic considers that the provisions of Article 3, paragraph 2, must be interpreted as giving to the States the possibility to make the executive organ answerable to the deliberative organ of a territorial authority. In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, the French Republic considers itself bound by all the paragraphs of Part I of the Charter, except paragraph 2 of Article 7, In accordance with Article 13, the local and regional authorities to which the Charter applies are the territorial authorities which are named in Articles 72, 73, 74 and in Title XIII of the Constitution or which are created on their basis. The French Republic therefore considers that the public establishments of intercommunal cooperation, which are not territorial authorities, are excluded from the scope of application of the Charter.

Georgia

• Signature: 29-05-2002
• Ratification: 08-12-2004 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-04-2005
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  08-12-2004
  Till the restoration of full jurisdiction of Georgia on the territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, Georgia declines its responsibility for performing obligations under the paragraphs of the European Charter of Local Self-Government listed [in its declaration regarding Article 12] in such territories. Georgia undertakes to consider itself bound by the following paragraphs of Part I of the Charter mentioned in paragraph 1 of Article 12: - Article 2; - Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2; - Article 4, paragraphs 1, 2 and 4; - Article 7, paragraph 1; - Article 8, paragraph 2; - Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; - Article 10, paragraph 1, - Article 11. Georgia further undertakes to consider itself bound by the following additional paragraphs of Part I of the Charter: - Article 4, paragraphs 3 and 5; - Article 6, paragraph 1; - Article 7, paragraphs 2 and 3; - Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 3; - Article 9, paragraphs 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Monaco

• Signature: 10-01-2013
• Ratification: 10-01-2013 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-05-2013
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  10-01-2013
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter, the Principality of Monaco declares itself bound by the following Articles and paragraphs: Article 2; Article 3, paragraph 2; Article 4, paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6; Article 5; Article 6, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 7, paragraphs 1 and 3; Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 9, paragraphs 5, 6 and 7; Article 10, paragraphs 1 and 3; Article 11. The Princely Government recalls that the territory of the Principality, with a surface area of approximately 2 km², constitutes only one municipality which is an autonomous institution established by the Constitution, endowed with legal personality and governed by public law. Therefore, the concept of local self-government as stipulated in Article 3 of this Charter applies there, in Monaco, in light of the specific institutional and geographical characteristics of the country, within the framework defined by Title IX of the Constitution and by law No. 959 of 24 July 1974 on communal organisation, as amended.

Netherlands, the Kingdom of the

• Signature: 07-01-1988
• Ratification: 20-03-1991 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-07-1991
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  20-03-1991
  The Kingdom of the Netherlands accepts the said Charter for the Kingdom in Europe. The preceding statement concerns Article 16. The Kingdom of the Netherlands declares in accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter, that it shall not consider itself bound by the provisions of Article 7, paragraph 2, Article 8, paragraph 2, Article 9, paragraph 5, and Article 11 of the Charter. The Kingdom of the Netherlands declares in accordance with Article 13 of the Charter that it intends to confine the scope of the Charter to provinces and municipalities. With regard to Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Charter, the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands takes the view that, in the framework of the Charter, only Article 9 of the Charter has any bearing on the financial resources of local authorities. This means that local authorities may not take any financial claims on central government based on the provisions of Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Charter. In the opinion of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Dutch legislation is in accord with both the wording and the purport of Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Charter.

Russian Federation

• Signature: 28-02-1996
• Ratification: 05-05-1998 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-09-1998
• Termination: 16-03-2022
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  25-03-2022
  Depositary communication. By the adoption of resolution CM/Res(2022)2 on the cessation of the membership of the Russian Federation to the Council of Europe on 16 March 2022, at the 1428ter meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies, the Committee of Ministers has decided, in the context of the procedure launched under Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe, that the Russian Federation ceased to be a member of the Council of Europe as from 16 March 2022. The legal and financial consequences are specified in Resolution CM/Res(2022)3 adopted on 23 March 2022, at the 1429bis meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies.

San Marino

• Signature: 16-05-2013
• Ratification: 29-10-2013 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-02-2014
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  29-10-2013
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter, the Republic of San Marino declares itself bound by the following Articles: Article 2; Article 3: paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 4: paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; Article 5; Article 6: paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 7: paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 8: paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 9: paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7; Article 10: paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 11. The Republic of San Marino maintains that Article 9 of the Charter must be interpreted as an article establishing a general principle of financial autonomy, according to which local authorities are entitled to freely dispose, in the framework of the national economic policy, of the resources allocated to them for the exercise of their powers.

Serbia

• Signature: 24-06-2005
• Ratification: 06-09-2007 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-01-2008
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  06-09-2007
  In accordance with Article 12 of the Charter, the Republic of Serbia declares that it considers itself bound by the following provisions of the Charter: Article 2; Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 4, paragraphs 1, 2, 4 and 6; Article 5; Article 7, paragraphs 1 and 3; Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 2; Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; Article 10, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; Article 11.

Slovakia

• Signature: 23-02-1999
• Ratification: 01-02-2000 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-06-2000
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  29-07-2002
  Referring to the European Charter of Local Self-Government ratified by Slovakia on 1 February 2000, the Slovak Republic declares that it considers itself to be bound by Article 6, paragraph 2, of the said Charter.

  reservation
  21-05-2007
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 3, of the Charter, the Slovak Republic declares that it extends its obligations and considers itself bound by further Charter provisions: Article 3, paragraph 1; Article 4, paragraphs 3 and 5; Article 9, paragraphs 1, 5, 6 and 7; Article 10, paragraphs 2 and 3.

Switzerland

• Signature: 21-01-2004
• Ratification: 17-02-2005 (R)
• Entry into force: 01-06-2005
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  17-02-2005
  In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter, Switzerland declares that it undertakes to consider itself bound by the following paragraphs: - Article 2; - Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2; - Article 4, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 - Article 5; - Article 6, paragraph 1; - Article 7, paragraphs 1 and 3; - Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 3; - Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8; - Article 10, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; - Article 11. Pursuant to its Article 13, the Charter shall apply in Switzerland to the political communes ("Einwohnergemeinde"/"communi politici").