Calendar

The meeting will focus on the European Commission’s proposal for the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with particular attention to the new simplified funding instrument, “The Fund”, which merges existing shared management funds. Discussions will assess the impact on Cohesion Policy and local and regional government investment.

Participants will exchange views on the proposal’s architecture, especially National and Regional Partnership Plans, and consider CEMR’s draft amendments and negotiation strategies. Key questions include safeguarding multilevel governance, budget ringfencing, and engagement with national governments and MEPs.

The event will also address the Commission’s forthcoming territorial strategies (2025–2026), including the Agenda for Cities, strategies for islands, outermost and border regions, and an updated Rural Action Plan. These initiatives aim to shape future EU policies, with local and regional governments invited to contribute actively.

• CEMR Members
• Hybrid (Online and CEMR’s meeting room)

Review the feedback on the CEMR’s migration position paper.

• CEMR Members
• Hybrid (Online)

CEMR experts from the Expert Group on Public Services will meet to discuss the latest policy developments in the fields of public procurement and state aid. The meeting will also feature the participation of representatives from EU institutions, providing an opportunity for direct exchange and dialogue.

• CEMR Members
• Registration (In Person and Online)

Despite growing recognition of the role of local and regional governments in shaping inclusive societies, migration and integration remain complex and evolving challenges.

This event will explore various topics, such as how local authorities are responding to the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and how the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will impact them.

Through an interactive panel discussion and breakout sessions, participants will reflect on how to navigate EU and national frameworks, exchange practices from the ground, and co-create recommendations to strengthen local migration and inclusion policies.

• Open to the general public.  

• Registration here

This meeting will be an opportunity to:

Exchange on several key policy developments (Apply AI, Data Strategy, GDPR, and the Report on the Digital Decade), with an invitation extended to the European Commission

Meet with the Committee of the Regions regarding their opinion on the AI Continent Action Plan

Potentially engage with ENISA to discuss their role and the needs of local authorities

• CEMR Members
• Registration (hybrid)

The CEMR expert group on local finances will bring together representatives from across Europe to exchange on key financial and investment challenges facing local and regional governments.

Highlights of the meeting:

Next steps: concluding reflections, including the upcoming work of the new Task Force on Housing and the EU affordable housing plan.

State of subnational finance in Europe: country-by-country “tour de table” on pressing issues and emerging trends.

Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034: discussion on the European Commission’s proposal and its implications for local finances and investments.

Infrastructure investments in Europe: insights from the European Investment Bank and the OECD on local investment needs, fiscal risks, and opportunities for strengthening municipal capacities.

• CEMR Members
• Hybrid (online and CEMR’s meeting room)

On 9–10 October in Lille, local and regional leaders, experts, and partners from across Europe will gather for two days of dialogue, training, and networking. The programme will feature interactive workshops on European cooperation tools, plenary sessions on the EU’s future budget and territorial policies, and exchanges on innovation, resilience, and cross-border collaboration.

• CEMR Members

2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the opening for signature of the European Charter on Local Self-Government. This milestone document enshrines the rights and responsibilities of Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) in upholding local democracy. Over the past four decades, LRGs have played a crucial role in ensuring democratic governance, civic engagement, and the protection of public interests. However, in the digital age, local democracy faces unprecedented challenges from disinformation, misinformation, and deliberate efforts to erode trust in public institutions. 

The Council of Europe New Democratic Pact for Europe emerges as a response to these challenges. The Pact will address the urgent challenge of democratic backsliding through a collective, inclusive and complex process. It will not aim to reinvent democracy, but rather to reinforce its foundations, amplify its benefits, and innovating its form to make it resonate with all citizens, in particular with younger generations. The Pact is about making democracy stronger, more resilient and more adaptable to emerging and ongoing challenges through innovation, technology, and collective action. 

To address these pressing issues, CEMR and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will organise an event to discuss with policymakers, local government representatives, and civil society actors how LRGs can continue to foster local democracy despite these challenges. The joint event will showcase efforts by local and regional actors to build democratic resilience, including the launch of CEMR’s recent study on how LRGs across Europe are addressing mis/disinformation. 

• Open to the general public (limited places)
• Registration

As Ukraine moves forward on its journey toward EU membership, municipalities are stepping into a critical role. This session is hosted by EasyBusiness, CEMR, and the Agency for Recovery and Development, with support from U-LEAD, and explores how local governments are contributing to Ukraine’s EU integration, especially under Chapter 22 on regional policy and coordination of structural instruments.

With limited experience but growing ambition, Ukrainian municipalities are learning fast through international cooperation and knowledge-sharing. Discover how cross-border municipal partnerships are driving legislative alignment, boosting capacity, and laying the groundwork for sustainable reconstruction and long-term development.

Join us to explore how local collaboration is shaping Ukraine’s European future.

• Open to the general public.

• Registrations: https://regions-and-cities.europa.eu/programme/2025/sessions/47547

CEMR is the European section of the world organisation United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). The World Council is the principal policymaking body of the World Organisation. Composed of 342 members from all UCLG Sections, it meets once a year to decide the World Organisation’s policies and ensure that general policies are implemented. More information available soon.  

• Open to members 

Preparation for the SSDCs and ongoing files

• CEMR Members
• Hybrid (online and CEMR’s meeting room)

Held twice a year, this internal meeting brings together Secretaries General and directors from CEMR member associations to discuss organisational priorities and internal affairs ahead of each CEMR Leaders’ Summit. 

• Open to Secretaries General and directors of CEMR member associations.  

The CEMR Leaders’ Summit brings together over 150 international leaders from 41 member countries and partners to explore Europe’s most urgent challenges. This two-day gathering includes internal CEMR Policy Committee meetings on Day 1, and strategic political discussions on Day 2, focused on the needs of CEMR members and the broader international context. This edition of the Leaders’ Summit will be hosted by the Local Councils’ Association of Malta. 

• Open to CEMR members.