THOMAS Carol

MEP Pîslaru: “The Commission’s efforts to determine national governments to be more open, more transparent and to involve regional and local governments have intensified”

With loans and grants worth €750 billion, the Next Generation EU recovery plan constitutes an historic act of solidarity for our continent to face the dramatic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but also to accelerate the digital and green transitions.

Since its adoption, several MEP have shown their concern about the lack of involvement local and regional governments in coronavirus recovery plan. We have discussed with MEP Dragoş Pîslaru to understand what concrete initiatives is the European Parliament undertaking to ensure that the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) fully involve the local and regional level.

What do you see as being the main priorities for the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) over the next 12 months that are of particular importance for local and regional governments? 

Our ECON Committee has been extremely active during the pandemic and I dare say even proactive. But most importantly, Renew Europe was among the first group to understand the importance of finding new methods to create new own resources of the Union. Following the adoption of the Recovery and Resilience Facilities, we start looking at this new instrument as an upgraded model of economic governance. I believe that this is the most important debate we need to see upcoming on the table: how to best shape the EU economic governance, taking into account the design, governance and modus operandi of the RRF. 

The creation of a specific Working Group to monitor the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is an important means to monitor the implementation of the national plans. How is this Working Group preparing for the mid-term review of the RRF in 2022? How can we ensure that does not become a purely box-ticking exercise?

We thoroughly analysed the plans sent to us by the European Commission, we had regular exchanges with the Commissions’ experts working on the RRF to raise questions for the measures proposed for each pillar. We also had a debate on the involvement of local and regional authorities and civil society organisations in the design and implementation of the national plans. Furthermore, we had several debates in the plenary, one specifically linked to this matter of dialogue between the governments and citizens in the context of the RRF, we adopted several resolutions. Now, we plan to work on a Resolution that will constitute the Parliament’s position for the mid-term review.

How confident are you that the “Recovery and Resilience Dialogue” with the European Commission will enable the European Parliament to access all the information needed to properly conduct its scrutiny role?

This dialogue is of extremely importance to us, as it represents the Parliaments’ possibility to bring to the attention of Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis and Commissioner Gentiloni our conclusions following the exchanges of the working group, our concerns and also our demands. The Dialogue is our tool to understand the Commission’s position and action on several key issues linked to the implementation of the RRF and for the Commission to be transparent. Most importantly, the Dialogue was mainly created for the citizens, so that they can follow themselves what the European Union is doing with the national plans, once they are sent by their countries. 

A year ago, President von der Leyen said that local and regional governments should be at be at the heart of our recovery. What advice would you give to CEMR’s members seeking to play their full role in ensuring that the funds are well targeted and efficiently spent?

I wish to thank CEMR members for their role and help in designing the Facility. I have received numerous requests from local and regional authorities during the RRF negotiations in which they were making proposals on how to improve the Regulation. I positively responded to as many dialogue invitations as I could, as I honestly believe that you play an essential role in the economic and social recovery after this pandemic. My one and only advice is: DO NOT STOP. The same way you urged me to take action on several issues, the same way you should monitor the activity of your national governments, write them, communicate with them and get involved as much as you can. 

In the letter sent earlier this year by the Renew Group to the European Commission, you request that local and regional governments should be better involved in the implementation of the plans and any future changes to the plans. What was the reaction from the Commissioner Dombrovskis?

Indeed, the letter was sent first and foremost with that purpose in mind, to raise the awareness on the fact that a specific provision of the Regulation is not being implemented by national authorities as they should. Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis positively responded to our letter and we also had a dialogue on this matter, in which he explained how the Commission acted in order to ensure that this RRF provision was respected. Following the letter and the exchange, the Commission’s efforts to determine national governments to be more open, more transparent and to involve civil society organisations and regional and local authorities intensified. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has halted the EU’s budgetary rules and allowed Member States greater flexibility on their levels of debt and their expenditure ceilings. How can tighter budgetary ceilings be aligned with the spending needed to set Europe on its path towards green and sustainable recovery?

The rapid evolution of the pandemic highlighted the need for a solid economic governance, but one that also understands and allows flexibility, as designing rules applying for all possible circumstances proved to be tricky, difficult and not manageable. I believe that, once the COVID-19 crisis is over, we need to focus on reducing high public debt ratios, we need public finances that promote public and private investments, combined with reforms. We should also aim to reinforce counter-cyclicality in the EU fiscal framework and to design a strong, simpler and more transparent fiscal framework.

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy

EU Vice-President Věra Jourová: ‘You have an accomplice in the Commission’

The European Union is a work in progress which has constantly changed with the times. In that spirit, the Conference on the Future of Europe is being held as a great occasion for elected leaders, civil society and citizens to debate what shape should take our continent and our Union

CEMR’s fourth annual retreat featured a debate on the future of Europe with the participation of local and regional leaders and high-level national and European officials. There was widespread agreement on the need for municipalities and regions to engage citizens in the debates, as well as to make their own voices heard in the Conference.

Věra Jourová, EU Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency and former Czech minister for regional development, stressed the importance of municipalities and regions in promoting civic engagement. “Local and regional authorities are closest to citizens and are our crucial partners in the pursuit of common European goals and values, most recently also in promoting the Conference on the Future of Europe”, she said.

On the spending of EU cohesion and recovery funds, Jourová encouraged municipalities and regions to “be tough” with their national governments to ensure transparent and simple ways of spending the money. The Czech politician signaled that she is an ally on this issue: “If you need an accomplice in the Commission, I am here!”

Time to share our ‘criticisms and dreams’ for Europe

Clément Beaune, French Secretary of State for European Affairs, stressed that the Conference was unique moment for open debate and for citizens to express their criticisms and dreams for Europe. He argued that local and regional governments have to “make this debate known, encourage it, share it. This is a condition for the Conference’s success.”

Jan Olbrycht, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Poland, said the EU was reflecting upon itself in the wake of Brexit and the COVID crisis. He argued for decentralisation in general as a way of strengthening the EU. “The Committee of the Regions and multi-level governance should absolute be reinforced”, Olbrycht said. “If they don’t reinforce decentralisation in Europe, the centralisation in each of the Member States will work against a stronger EU.”

A make-or-break moment for Europe

For Eva Maydell, an MEP from Bulgaria and the president of the European Movement International (EMI), are at a make-or-break moment for Europe. “The Conference on the Future of Europe will either be a catalyst for deep changes or it will be a moment of steep decline in trust and legitimacy of the European Union.”

To ensure success, Maydell stressed the need for strong communications campaigns to promote civic participation in the Conference, also at local and regional level. She argued that instead of general debates that could be too vague, there should be topical ones on issues of strong interest to citizens, such as healthcare, agriculture and edcation. She urged local governments to “take the pulse” of citizens and participate in the process of translating this feedback into political proposals.

These interventions were followed by exchanges with the mayors Oss (Netherlands), Cumpăna (Romania), Soria (Spain) and Mlade Buky (Czech Republic) and Thessaloniki (Greece), sharing their ideas on how to best include local and regional governments in the recovery and the conference.

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy

European Week of Regions and Cities: join us at these events

It’s the highlight of the year for Europe’s local and regional governments: the European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC).

From 11 to 14 October, thousands of local leaders, experts and citizens will join with their peers around the continent to debate, connect, learn and show the impact of European municipalities and regions today. This year, the events are focused on the green transition, cohesion, digital transition and citizens’ engagement.

CEMR will play an active role in many sessions. Here’s where we will be present either as organisers or participants:

Small and medium sized cities and scaling up the digital transformation
Monday 11 October 2021 | Registration

The New European Bauhaus and its relevance for citizens – Shaping a more beautiful future in Europe (CEMR event)
Tuesday 12 October | Registration

National Urban Policies: drivers for the implementation of the New Leipzig Charter
Tuesday 12 October | Registration

Cohesion for recovery in the Mediterranean: local authorities boosting territorial resilience (organised by the Province of Barcelona, DIBA)
Tuesday 12 October | Registration

Localising the SDGs – A roadmap for recovery (CEMR event)
Wednesday 13 October | Registration

What does it take to mainstream citizen engagement and deliberative democracy in public institutions?
Wednesday 13 October | Registration

How to engage with Europe digitally: lesson learned and opportunities to seize
Wednesday 13 October | Registration

The Covenant Community: a trailblazer for the green transition (CEMR event)
Wednesday 13 October | Registration

Rural connections: green and digital innovation to unlock the potential of rural and remote areas (CEMR event)
Wednesday 14 October | Registration

Green transition in cities as an example of Europe’s legacy from WUF11 in Poland
Thursday 14 October | Registration

Delivering the EU Green Deal Through Circular Procurement
Thursday 14 October | Registration

Navigating the EU maze to finance recovery: 2021-27 funding for the ecological transition
Friday, 15 October | Registration

So sign up today! And be sure to join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #EURegionsWeek.

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy

President von der Leyen: time for municipalities and regions to be fully engaged in Europe’s recovery

This article was originally published in Agence Europe.

With the launch of the colossal NextGenEU recovery plan, the European Union hopes to accelerate the digital and green transitions. But these will only be achieved together with the players working on the ground: local and regional governments. It is high time that municipalities and regions be fully involved in the implementation and monitoring of the national recovery plans, a measure which would guarantee their success.

These last two years have shown just how vulnerable our societies are, as well as the need to face together these planetary threats: the pandemic, climate change, natural catastrophes and the risks of weakening democracy and respect for human rights.
As representatives of local and regional governments of all sizes, we could only be struck at the degree to which the territorial level has became the leading reference point for action in these times of crisis. Cities and regions have not only provided essential services while limiting the risk of further disruptions in social care, waste management, sanitation, mobility and healthcare, they have also led the way towards the return to ordinary life, with the holding of cultural events, the welcoming of tourists, the maintenance of quality public services and ensuring safe conditions for public workers.

While the crisis has confirmed the crucial role of local and regional governments, the impact on territorial finances has often been devastating. According to our monitoring of local finances, the “scissor effect” has been confirmed with a sharp drop in revenue and a spike in spending, due notably to the provision of social care, the purchase of protective equipment and support to businesses and local associations. In Germany alone, counties and municipalities are taking on such new responsibilities while facing a budget shortfall of over €10 billion.

In this crisis, the European Union quickly stepped up to the plate with an ambitious €800 billion Next Generation EU recovery programme. Now that most the national recovery and resilience plans have been approved by Brussels and support is being to trickle down, we have to think about the medium-term perspective.

How can we ensure that EU support is used wisely and effectively? For us there is no doubt: by fully involving municipalities and regions in the implementation and monitoring of the recovery plans. Local and regional governments, as the public authorities closest to the citizens, have both the know-how, knowledge and trust necessary to make the most of the recovery funds.

Unlike what was requested by the European Commission, most national governments failed to adequately involve municipalities and regions in the definition of investment priorities and the drafting of these national recovery plans.

Since then, we have obtained the requirement that national governments must report on the way municipalities and regions are involved in drafting the plans – but this does not go far enough. Assessment of local and regional involvement must be a priority in the Commission’s mid-term review of the recovery plans in 2022.

Tailor recovery spending to the needs of rural areas

The European countryside is a treasure trove of our continent’s geographical, cultural and agricultural heritage, as well as touristic assets. However, while rural areas represent 80% of the EU’s land area, many face declining populationsand the crisis risks deepening territorial disparities. According to the Commission’s public consultation on rural areas, 56% of inhabitants of rural areas felt “left behind”.

The recovery plans are an opportunity to revitalise the countryside and small and medium size cities, with targeted investments. For example, digitalisation, and in particular the rise of teleworking, can drive the renewal of many rural areas. But getting the right investments means the full participation of the municipalities and regions in question so that the plans actually reflect their needs and those of their people.  Indeed, 79% of Europeans say that there should be consideration of the specific needs of rural areas in the allocation of public spending.

Citizens believe in the role of local government in the green transition

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s European Green Deal, and in particular the recent legislative proposals on climate, energy efficiency and renewable energy, are clear signs that the EU is pushing to move forward on the green transition. But no effective results will be achieved without territories on the ground. From Nantes to Constanța and from Andalucía to Lapland, our municipalities, counties and regions are ready and willing to undertake the great environmental and digital transitions this century calls for, if they are properly empowered. 

At least 37% of investment and reform spending under national recovery plans are meant to address climate change. Here too the local dimension is apparent, with municipalities and regions having a decisive role in policies such as mobility and energy efficiency. According to a Eurobarometer survey, 43% of citizens believe that local and regional governments are the right level of action for tackling climate change.

Many top EU officials, including President von der Leyen, have recognised that cities and regions must be involved in the recovery. Now is the time to translate words into actions: the European Commission must make sure local and regional governments are taken on board! This would guarantee that the EU’s recovery programme, one of the most remarkable innovations in the history of European integration, is a resounding success.

Frédéric Vallier, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy

​Greater say for local governments and social partners

The Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe agreed to allocate more seats in the Conference Plenary to local elected representatives, as well as to social partners. 

The Board amended the rules of procedure by adding to the plenary six elected representatives from local and six from regional authorities. They also agreed to increase the number of representatives from the social partners by four, to a total of 12. 

The Conference combines online and offline, local, regional, national and Europe-wide events, organised by civil society organisations and citizens, the European institutions, and national, regional and local authorities. These will all feed into the Plenary and the final report.

Next steps

In September, the first sessions of the European Citizens Panels will take place.

For more information: multilingual digital platform

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy

The EU promises more transparent and collaborative lawmaking: what does it mean for local and regional governments?

Today about 60% of a mayor’s political agenda is influenced by European legislation. It is therefore crucial to ensure that EU rules do not add unnecessary administrative burdens to local governments and can be effectively implemented without additional costs.

With its agenda on Better Regulation, the EU executive aims to make progress in future law-making by focussing on more transparent and evidenced-based policy processes for improved  outcomes. How? For instance, by enhancing impact assessments and introducing a “rural proofing” mechanism in EU legislation to analyse any potential impact on rural jobs, growth and sustainable development. 

To ensure the EU’s recovery, we need improved European lawmaking able to respond to tomorrow’s challenges. Last April, the European Commission made an important step forward in this direction with the adoption of a recent Communication on Better Regulation. Here are some of the issues at stake for local governments.

Better involvement of local governments and other stakeholders

The Commission created the Fit4Future platform in 2020 to receive input on how to simplify EU laws and reduce administrative costs. The platform brings together the expertise of those in charge of implementing EU legislation (public administration, social partners, businesses, technical experts, consumers and NGOs) to share their ideas on how to achieve this.

Cities and regions have a prominent role to play on the platform, notably as represented through the Committee of the Regions. The Commission promises to better distinguish the contributions of different types of stakeholders (such as local governments), to swiftly respond to feedback to consultations and to “more accurately reflect the input of local, regional and national authorities.”

More transparency on the evidence behind EU law-making

The Commission proposes the creation of a common evidence register: the Joint Legislative Portal, which would provide easy access to all the evidence underpinning every EU initiative. This new tool would allow more effective communication between policymakers at EU and national level, as well as fostering evidence-based policies. The creation of this Portal responds to previous calls by CEMR for more transparency in legislative processes to enable local and regional governments to follow more easily the preparation and amending of draft legislation.

The SDGs will guide EU policy-making

The Commission is intensifying its efforts to anticipate future challenges that Europe will face and how policymaking needs to respond to these challenges. As a result, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will become the new reference framework for assessing ‘ex-ante’ the sustainability of all legislative proposals. The Commission will identify the relevant SDGs linked to each of its proposals and examine how the initiative will support the achievement of the SDG(s) concerned. 

This is great news for local and regional governments across Europe, as many of them have already been using the SDGs for some time now as a way to support more joined-up policymaking, in pursuit of carbon neutral economies.

With this Communication, the Commission aims to take into account the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the COVID-19 recovery and the need to legislate as efficiently as possible, with an eye to the future. And the best way to do it is by ensuring that all key stakeholders “work together on high-quality EU policymaking that will translate into a stronger, more resilient Europe“, according to Maroš Šefčovič, EU Commission Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight.

Let’s hope this collaborative vision becomes a reality for Europe’s local governments and citizens!

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy

How local governments can take part in the EU’s €95-billion research programme

Horizon: this evocative word summarises the hopes for the European Union’s science and innovation funding programme, the biggest in the world. All places are deeply concerned by the possibilities and transformations enabled by innovation.

That’s why EU officials and local and regional governments met yesterday (29 June) to discuss how local and regional governments can better take advantage of the Horizon Europe programme to implement innovative projects in their territories.

Horizon is armed with a whopping €95.5 billion for the 2021-2027 period, with municipalities, counties and regions being eligible for many of its projects either as a contractor or as the entity physically hosting projects on their territory.

There are however obstacles to local and regional governments’ participation, notably lack of awareness and of local capacity to engage in the projects. Associations of local and regional governments can play a crucial role in overcoming these challenges. More generally, Horizon should be adapted to every national situation and the diversity of local conditions.

The new Horizon programme: great opportunities for local governments

Magda De Carli, Head of Unit in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), provided an overview of the many new EU funding opportunities for local innovation.
“The role of regions and local authorities is there both as direct beneficiaries or as the entity where the activity is taking place“, said De Carli. “What is next is to take on board this opportunity and make the most of it.“

The regulation stipulating how Horizon will be run includes many references to local and regional governments and has been drafted in harmony with the rules for cohesion policy, the primary EU funding programme targeting territories.

Local and regional governments are heavily involved in Horizon Europe’s new “missions”, thematic areas where research will tackle major societal challenges. Municipalities and regions are strongly implicated in the mission “adaptation to climate change” and will receive support to comply with the EU’s Climate Law. Local governments and communities will also cooperate closely in the mission “soil health and food” and municipal authorities are naturally central to the mission “climate-neutral and smart cities”.

Municipalities and regions also feature prominently in other areas. Regions are major beneficiaries of European Innovation Ecosystems, a programme promoting the scaling up and interconnection of local innovation ecosystems. Cities and local communities are also involved in the research cluster “civil security for society”, which deals with protection against cybercrime and natural or man-made disasters.

Beyond Horizon, local and regional governments will also be able to mobilise cohesion spending for innovation in their territories. For instance, SMEs that have been awarded an EU Seal of Excellence quality label will be eligible for cohesion funding without violating state-aid rules. In the previous seven-year budget period, cohesion funding provided €40 billion to research and innovation.

Good practices from Norway: advocacy and mentoring

The event was an occasion to share experiences from local and regional government associations on how to promote engagement with Horizon. While Horizon is an EU programme, it also has beneficiaries in non-EU countries.

This became clear with the intervention of Jon Anders Drøpping, Manager for Research and Development in the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS), which covers all of Norway’s 356 local and 11 regional governments. The EU is a major source of innovation funding in Norway, accounting for around a third of research and innovation resources open to competition.

KS has strongly lobbied at both national and EU level to make sure local governments can compete for research funding. Municipalities and regions are now an integral part of the country’s national strategy for participating in Horizon Europe.

Applying for Horizon projects is often a challenging undertaking, particularly for smaller municipalities. That is why KS organises a mentorship programme, over a period of 18-24 months, in which local governments learn how to structure an application, get administrative and political support and participate in a consortium. The programme works like a skills and talent development scheme and as a professional network for mutual learning.

Participants in KS’ membership programme made five applications for the last batch of Horizon 2020 projects – the EU’s previous research programme – under the European Green Deal. Norwegian local and regional governments in general participated in around 50 Horizon 2020 projects.

National associations: the key to engaging municipalities and regions

Other associations also gave their perspectives on Horizon Europe. Aleksandra Vukmirovic of the Standing Conference of Town and Municipalities of Serbia (SCTM) noted that municipalities in her country are also eligible for some Horizon funds. She stressed the need to encourage local governments to participate and find partners, as well as to provide technical assistance. She also pointed out that during implementation of the Horizon Europe specific characteristics of local governments in pre-accession countries should be taken into account.

Several participants highlighted the need to provide local and regional governments with practical examples of the kinds of projects Horizon has funded. This would give local officials more concrete ideas as to what is possible and motivate their administrations to seize opportunities.

Looking to the future, CEMR hopes to establish a long-term collaboration with the European Commission’s DG RTD to organise regular exchanges with our member associations to improve local and regional governments’ access to innovation funding.

THOMAS Carol

Senior Adviser, Governance, Gender Equality, Local Democracy