Innsbruck, 10/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - Before the meeting of the General Assembly of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) in May in Innsbruck (see other article), members of the CEMR steering committee adopted a resolution supporting the “draft guidelines compilation supporting decentralisation and local democracy” (drafted in 2003-04 by scientists and practitioners from all continents on the initiative of the UN) to foster good governance at all levels, including those for common decisions. Participants are requesting, therefore, that European governments support this compilation during the debates at the United Nations in 2006 and April 2007. The resolution also points out that they are calling on the Committee of the Regions to make a contribution so that the EU is committed to speaking with a single voice in this operation (which also respects the principle of subsidiarity). The resolution invites local representatives from the World Urban Forum in Vancouver (19-23 June) to relay this appeal to their governments and open up the way to a global consensus on the adoption of this compilation of guidelines. The steering committee also calls on the Austrian Presidency, and especially the German government taking up the Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2007, to coordinate and guarantee support of EU countries and their European neighbours when the decision on the adoption of this compilation is on the UN's agenda.