The RUL provides a meeting place and a decision making forum for local and regional authorities with regard to any issue requiring a consistent and coordinated approach, regardless of administrative boundaries. In 1994 the general issues to be dealt with were defined by RUL's members in a common document (Charte RUL 2010) that describes their joint development strategy. These issues include transport, sustainable development, economy, tourism, town planning, ...etc.

RUL's first action is to organise forums and symposiums around these issues in order to :

• encourage local authorities to enter into discussions about particular aspects of these issues
• enable other partners or experts to participate in the discussion
• establish a joint analysis of the issue and work together to draw up recommendations