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Territorial development32

GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Territorial development

Rural Development

Rural Development Event - News 2023

CEMR’s “Harnessing Skills in Rural Areas” Event: Shaping the Future of Rural Development

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) hosted the “Harnessing Skills in Rural Areas” event to address the pressing need for digitalisation and sustainable development in rural regions. This event aimed to shift the paradigm, considering rural areas not as isolated territories but as integral components of a broader continuum linked to urban centres. It underscored the pivotal role of Local and Regional Governments in elevating the needs of rural areas in the political agenda. During the event, CEMR also announced the launch of the Impact Community for Territorial Cohesion.

The “Harnessing Skills in Rural Areas” event brought together diverse stakeholders interested in rural development. It occurred within the context of the Rural Pact, an initiative launched in 2021 by the European Commission as part of its Long-Term Vision for the EU’s rural areas. The Rural Pact is a collaborative framework, that fosters cooperation among public authorities, civil society, businesses, academia, and citizens at the European, national, regional, and local levels.

BANOS DE GUISASOLA Eva
In Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Territorial development

SDG Implementation 

SDG Implementation - News 2023

Enhancing SDG Implementation: Joint Event with URBAN Intergroup

The European Parliament URBAN intergroup and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) met to discuss how to “Foster multilevel Dialogue for SDG Implementation.”

The event gathered various stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities local and regional governments face in their journey towards successfully achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The agenda also included a closer look at different European Union (EU) initiatives and tools that support cities in their path to realizing the SDGs.

The timing of this event is particularly significant, as 2023 marks the midway point in the timeline set by the United Nations General Assembly for achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda. To mark this milestone, the European Parliament has produced two important reports on the Implementation of SDGs in Europe, while the European Commission, for the first time, is presenting a Voluntary Review that assesses how the European Union as a whole is integrating SDGs into its policies and projects.

The event’s program featured a line-up of distinguished speakers, each bringing valuable insights and experiences to the discussions. CEMR had the opportunity to showcase their work on SDGs, with Eva Banos presenting our report on the implementation of SDGs at the local and regional levels.

GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Territorial development

EWRC 2023

EWRC 2023 - News 2023

CEMR Advocates for Enhanced Local Government Role in European Week of Regions and Cities

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) actively participated in the 2023 European Week of Regions and Cities, engaging in five informative sessions that addressed pivotal regional and local challenges. The event took place from October 9th to 12th, 2023.

Our Secretary General, Fabrizio Rossi, moderated a discussion on “The commitment of regions and cities to the Sustainable Development Goals”, where local administrators demonstrated the integration of SDGs into their action plans for their respective territories. Christoph Schnaudigel, Vice President of CEMR, made substantial contributions to discussions about “Public Banks and their role in ensuring Energy Security, Green Sustainability”, and also participated in the “Cohesion Alliance Event – Lessons Learnt from the RRF: Safeguarding a Place-Based Approach”. Finally, CEMR supported the “Together for Ambitious Climate and Energy Actions” session of the Covenant of Mayors, which showcased how bottom-up governance is mobilising thousands of cities committing to ambitious targets and taking local climate and energy action.

These stimulating sessions mark the beginning of critical dialogues, knowledge exchange, and collaborative efforts aimed at forging a more sustainable and cohesive Europe. CEMR stands resolute in its commitment to fostering conversation and collaboration among regional and local governments, addressing urgent issues, and collectively working towards a greener, more just future where the stances of local and regional governments are represented at the highest levels of discussion.

ROSSI Fabrizio
In Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Territorial development

CEMR – Development Aid

Development Aid - News 2023

CEMR and DevelopmentAid partner for a more sustainable and innovative local communities

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has signed a partnership agreement with DevelopmentAid, at a time when CEMR is working to make sustainable innovation accessible to local and regional governments.
 
DevelopmentAid is an innovative membership organisation founded in 2007. It provides essential information to donors, agencies, consultancies, non-governmental organisations, and individuals working in the international development sector. With a network of 500,000 aid stakeholders, the organisation aims to bring together the international development community.
 
Under the terms of the agreement, CEMR members will benefit from a number of services, including free access to the Calls4Partners Service and the DevelopmentAid Job Board.
 
CEMR will soon provide its members with information on how to access the DevelopmentAid platform and take advantage of the partnership benefits.

GAUDRON Marine
In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Safeguarding local investments 

Investing in Europe - News

Why EU economic governance reform must protect municipalities’ ability to invest 

Read full position paper

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has warned that the upcoming reform of the EU’s economic governance framework, including the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), could risk undermining the investment capacity of municipalities and regions across Europe. 

Local and regional governments are responsible for almost half of all public investments in the EU. These investments are essential to deliver on European priorities such as the green transition, digitalisation, and resilient infrastructure. However, the proposed introduction of net expenditure ceilings risks unintentionally penalising local governments, who generally borrow only for long-term investments in capital assets. 

Reform and its implications 

The European Commission has announced plans to simplify the SGP by replacing certain rules, including the medium-term objective (MTO), with a new system of net expenditure ceilings. While CEMR welcomes the move away from the MTO, which had previously constrained local investment through deficit limits and reduced transfers from central governments, it raises serious concerns about the impact of the new ceilings. 

Applying net expenditure limits to municipalities would create three major risks: 

  • Higher administrative burdens arise because local governments do not use the net expenditure concept in their accounting. 
  • Political mismatches, since local electoral cycles rarely align with national fiscal programming. 
  • Cuts in public investment, as postponing infrastructure projects, are often the only quick adjustment available under tight expenditure ceilings. 

This is even though local government debt levels are prudent in every EU Member State, and are already strictly monitored under national rules. 

The solution: exclude local expenditure 

CEMR is therefore calling for the exclusion of local government expenditure from the definition of net expenditure ceilings in the reformed SGP. Much like cyclical unemployment spending is excluded, removing local investment from these calculations would ensure municipalities can continue to provide essential services, maintain infrastructure, and invest in the future without being penalised by centralised fiscal targets. 

At a time when Europe urgently needs stronger local action to address climate, digital, and social challenges, weakening municipalities’ ability to invest would be counterproductive. Protecting local public investment within the EU’s economic governance reform is not just about budgets, it is about safeguarding Europe’s capacity to deliver on its ambitions. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

GAUDRON Marine
In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Bringing Europe closer to its citizens 

EU Cohesion Policy - News

How ITI and CLLD strengthen local democracy, multi-level governance, and place-based development in EU cohesion policy 

Read full study

The European Union’s Cohesion Policy is one of its most important instruments for promoting economic, social, and territorial cohesion across its member states. With nearly €392 billion allocated for 2021–2027, it tackles inequalities between regions while supporting a greener, more competitive, and more inclusive Europe. Central to this effort are Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) and Community-Led Local Development (CLLD), two tools designed to put territorial needs and local actors at the heart of EU funding. 

Why integrated tools matter 

The foundations for a place-based approach were laid in the 2009 Barca Report, which argued that EU policy should focus on unlocking the potential of specific territories while addressing persistent exclusion. ITI and CLLD, introduced in 2014, operationalise this vision by giving local and regional governments a stronger role in programming, governance, and project implementation. 

These tools provide flexibility, enable cooperation across levels of government, and ensure that EU funds target the real needs of communities. For municipalities, regions, and their associations, they are among the most valued features of cohesion policy. 

ITI: Integrating strategies across territories 

ITI allows funding from several EU programmes to be combined in support of integrated strategies. It has been especially used for urban development, where at least 8% of ERDF funding is earmarked for sustainable urban projects. While designed to cover any functional area, urban, rural, or mixed, ITI is most common in metropolitan settings, where challenges like mobility, housing, and regeneration demand integrated solutions. 

CLLD: Communities leading the way 

CLLD builds on the LEADER approach to rural development, empowering local action groups of citizens, NGOs, and businesses to design and implement strategies. While most common in rural areas, it has the potential to strengthen participation and ownership in cities, too. CLLD fosters trust, encourages bottom-up innovation, and helps address the needs of vulnerable groups such as youth, migrants, or elderly people. 

What worked well 

CEMR’s analysis highlights several clear benefits: 

  • Flexibility and relevance – ITI and CLLD adapt EU funding to local needs. 
  • Capacity-building – local authorities gain expertise in managing EU programmes. 
  • Stronger governance – fostering trust and cooperation between local, regional, and national levels. 
  • Visibility of EU action – projects close to citizens showcase the value of EU funds. 
  • Community cohesion – encouraging cooperation among local actors and building metropolitan or regional identity. 

Persistent challenges 

Despite their value, integrated tools face obstacles: 

  • Administrative burden remains high, with complex procedures and slow fund absorption. 
  • Limited flexibility – strategies must still align with national operational programmes, sometimes restricting genuine local priorities. 
  • Time pressures – integrated projects require trust and participation, often at odds with the EU’s strict N+3 spending rule. 
  • Uneven use of PO5 (“Europe closer to citizens”) – some member states underfund this priority despite its direct link to ITI and CLLD. 
  • Urban uptake of CLLD – adapting the rural-focused model to cities remains difficult. 

CEMR recommendations 

Looking ahead, municipalities and regions urge the EU to: 

  • Maintain and strengthen integrated tools in cohesion policy. 
  • Simplify procedures at both EU and national levels, avoiding “gold-plating.” 
  • Clarify guidance on multi-funding, project selection, and the use of PO5. 
  • Exempt ITI/CLLD projects from the N+3 rule to allow more time for participatory approaches. 
  • Reintegrate the EAFRD into the Common Provision Regulation to ease multi-fund projects. 
  • Ensure meaningful local involvement in programming, implementation, and evaluation. 

Conclusion 

ITI and CLLD have proven their worth as vehicles for place-based development, democratic participation, and closer cooperation between Europe and its citizens. While challenges remain, strengthening these tools is essential for making the EU’s cohesion policy more visible, more inclusive, and more responsive to local realities. 

Read the study here 

For more information, contact: 

GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Local Insights, Territorial development

Urban renewal

Urban renewal - News 2022

Cadde54 Bazaar: Relaunching urban life after the pandemic

Revitalising urban life has become particularly important in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Shopping centres create jobs and businesses by providing useful goods and services, but they can also energize a neighbourhood and give it a unique identity.

That was the ambition of the “Cadde54 Bazaar Project” in Serdivan, a city of 160,000 people in northwest Turkey. Cadde54 combines the logic of a Turkish bazaar with cultural and social functions. Visitors can walk around several open-air plazas or spend time in cafes where they can taste local and international cuisine.

It is noteworthy that Cadde54 Bazaar’s launch coincided with the post-pandemic period. Lockdowns and the closing of public buildings left people longing to spend time in open spaces. Unlike indoor shopping centres, at Cadde54 visitors can walk in the open air in pleasant and healthy conditions.

The project has led to the creation of new office spaces, businesses and jobs. The centre brings together, for the first time in Sakarya Province, local tradesmen and world-class companies under the same roof.

Cadde54 Bazaar also contributes to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. The centre features a vegetation-rich green roof and greywater recycling to limit environmental impact. The area is pedestrianised and features a sports centre. The project has also included the creation of new accommodation in the area.

​The project, completed in April 2022, received 1.5 billion Turkish lira (82 million euros) in investments from the municipality.

GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Territorial development

Muni World 2022

Muni World - News 2021

Save the date: Muni World 2022, an event focusing on smart cities

The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, Masham, is organising its annual event MUNIWORLD 2022, in partnership with the municipality of Jerusalem. It is taking place from 6 to 8 December, in Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem.

Unique stages for global brainstorming on urban challenges and city innovation, the MUNIEXPO 2022 Exhibition, and the 6th international MUNIWORLD Conference being held as an integral part of it will host exhibitors, decision-makers from Israel and abroad, and thousands of visitors.

Discover last year’s MuniWorld with a short video.

For more information: click here!

GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Local Insights, Territorial development

Utility Park

Bucharest - News

How a utility park in Bucharest is fostering sustainability and inclusion

Green spaces can be a great way to foster community feeling and biodiversity in our cities. That’s why Bucharest’s Sector 2 decided to create a utility park in the Ion Creanga neighbourhood, an area suffering from social deprivation and a lack of recreational facilities.

The utility park was designed to tackle both social and environmental challenges, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and finances by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The local authorities worked in close collaboration with local communities and empowered them to have a say in their future. As such, the city hall organised a series of debates and public consultations, communicated about the project online and actively integrated local demands into the project.

The park’s creation made a huge difference in the lives of residents:

  • The neighbourhood became more liveable because low-income families and at-risk youth benefited from recreational opportunities.
  • Residents’ sense of community increased as the park allowed people from diverse backgrounds and cultures to connect, facilitated the organisation of neighbourhood activities and exposed young people to nature.
  • The quality of the environment improved with sustainable and rational management of waste, enhanced energy efficiency and decreased of air pollution.
  • The park attracted homebuyers and the value of residential property rose by 15%.

To learn more about this and other local best practices, check out the website of URBACT, the European territorial cooperation programme which aims to promote sustainable integrated urban development in cities all over Europe.

Since 2021, the RFSC tool has been used by cities and partners of the “Global Goals for Cities” URBACT network, supporting the localisation of the SDGs across 19 European cities.

GAUDRON Marine
In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Local finances, Local finances, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Boosting public investment for recovery

Cohesion Policy Alliance - News 2021

CEMR calls for investment-friendly EU economic governance reform

Read full position paper

The COVID-19 crisis exposed vulnerabilities in Europe’s economic governance and the need to rethink how EU rules support long-term, sustainable investment at all levels of government. In its 2022 position, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) argues that the reform of the EU’s economic governance framework is a vital opportunity to unlock local and regional investment capacity.

Local and regional governments, which account for 45% of public investment in the EU, were heavily impacted by the crisis. While they expanded essential services and supported communities, they also faced falling revenues and limited fiscal space. CEMR warns that without urgent reform, municipalities risk being held back from investing in vital green, digital, and social transitions.

CEMR proposes several key changes:

  • Strengthen multi-level governance: Local and regional voices must be involved in economic coordination, including through a reformed European Semester with mandatory application of the partnership principle.
  • Recognise investment as a priority: The new framework must distinguish between current spending and long-term, sustainable investment to avoid penalising municipalities for future-oriented projects.
  • Grant borrowing flexibility: Local and regional borrowing for structural investments should not be constrained by national debt calculations under the Stability and Growth Pact.
  • Establish a European municipal and regional bank: This new facility within the EIB would support local investment, particularly through pooled resources and tailored green or social bonds.
  • Support local capacity building: Municipalities need the tools and skills to plan and deliver strategic investments, especially in health, care, and infrastructure.

CEMR also highlights the importance of maintaining local leadership in the implementation of National Recovery and Resilience Plans. Without adequate autonomy, funding, and engagement, the EU’s sustainable recovery goals, particularly those of the Green Deal, risk being delayed or derailed.

Ultimately, CEMR calls for a governance framework that enables, not restricts, local ambition, empowering municipalities and regions to invest in the future of Europe’s communities.

Read the position paper here

For more information, contact:

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