ELoGE – European Label of Governance Excellence is a programme of the Council of Europe’s Centre of Expertise for Good Governance dedicated to promoting and strengthening democratic good governance at the local level.
The 2025–2026 cycle will mark the first national edition of ELoGE in Malta, coordinated by the Local Councils’ Association (LCA) in cooperation with the Council of Europe, and supported by ISIG – Institute of International Sociology of Gorizia, which brings extensive methodological experience gained through multiple implementations of the programme in Italy.
This first Maltese edition will involve Local Councils across the country in a structured self-assessment exercise based on the Benchmark of the 12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance, developed by the Council of Europe.
The self-assessment will be complemented by evidence gathered from citizens, administrative staff and elected representatives through surveys and structured consultation activities. The Label will be awarded to those Local Councils that demonstrate the highest degree of adherence to the 12 Principles during the Final Award Ceremony planned for May 2026.
For this edition, Malta will adopt the updated ELoGE Benchmark, already piloted in 2024 and revised by the Council of Europe on the basis of its four primary foundations: Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Public Ethics, Good Administration and Quality of Public Services. Under this renewed framework, Local Councils are required to support their self-assessment with documentary evidence and with the results of consultations with the different stakeholder groups.
The standards of Democratic Good Governance are articulated in the 4 Foundations and the 12 Principles of the Council of Europe. They embody the essential characteristics of an effective and accountable local democracy and serve as a reference model for local governance systems capable of responding transparently and efficiently to the legitimate needs of residents, while promoting democratic values that are indispensable for peace, prosperity and sustainable social and economic development.
