In 1993, a few months after the coming into effect of the Maastricht Treaty, certain administrations with a forward-looking approach decided to take a step towards the enhancement of the visibility of intermediate local authorities, and in the promotion of common policies at the local level. In a context of acknowledgement of the local and regional dimension for the first time, PARTENALIA was created with the aim of becoming a platform that would represent the interests of local intermediate authorities in the European Union.

Today, as an International association with juridical personality, PARTENALIA has a key role in the construction of a more integrated Europe, as it is the voice of intermediate local administrations and offers them a privileged working platform in order to promote innovative initiatives and the interchange of best practices on a transnational scale. With more than sixteen years of experience, PARTENALIA has become a frame of reference for the involvement of local collectivities in the European project, and for the development and implementation of innovative policies at the local level.