Open Local Government and Public Ethics: welcome to bE-Open

bE-Open has been developed by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. This online tool aims to support all local and regional governance actors in their efforts to improve the quality of local democracy in their villages, cities, and regions, as well as any citizen interested in public ethics, accountability, transparency and citizen participation.

Local governments are granted with a degree of autonomy over the distribution of resources, play an intermediary role with regard to central governments, and represent the first interface between citizens and elected representatives. They therefore play a crucial role in building citizen trust and fostering participatory decision-making, which is the basis for any government to function effectively. The professionalism and integrity of local governments and administrations and their ability to function in a transparent, responsive and accountable manner will doubtlessly lead to enhanced, fair and equitable services to citizens.