“The Work of EU Delegations with Local and Regional Governments” is a new Mindcraft publication, following on from the report published by PLATFORMA in 2021. Since 2021, the EU’s external action framework has undergone significant change. Under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) Global Europe and the Global Gateway strategy, EU international cooperation has moved towards a more geographic, investment-driven approach, with growing emphasis on the localisation of development cooperation.
This new study examines to what extent and how EU Delegations (EUDs) engage with Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) and their associations (LRGAs) in the partner countries. It is based on a 2025 survey of 40 EUDs worldwide and, interviews with five of them in Chad, Guatemala, Madagascar, Nepal and Zambia, as well as additional exchanges with EU Member States development cooperation agencies.
Key findings:
Enabling environment is key for LRG engagement. 62.5% of surveyed EUDs assessed the decentralisation in the partner country as favourable, and 57.5% support decentralisation efforts. Examples across partner countries show that support to local governance and public finance management helps LRGs engage in territorial development and EU-funded initiatives, though access to finance and the preparation of bankable projects remain persistent challenges.
LRG engagement in EU international cooperation remains uneven and rather limited. 57.5% of surveyed EUDs stated they engage with LRGs and LRGAs under the NDICI-Global Europe, while 20% stated they engage with them under the Global Gateway strategy. EUDs point to the lack of a right framework for structured cooperation as an obstacle. 69.2% consider that a specific budget line for LRGs would help.
LRG engagement can be valuable in fragile contexts. Among EUDs working in fragile settings, 76.4% consider that engaging with LRG would facilitate their work.
Decentralised cooperation remains generally underused. Illustrative examples of partnerships between European and partner-country LRGs, along with cooperation through LRGAs and their international cooperation structures, show real potential to strengthen local governance and support the localisation of EU initiatives but require greater visibility and emphasis.
There is an ongoing need to strengthen EUDs capacities to work with LRGs. Only 30% of surveyed EUDs reported having received specialised training or support for engaging with LRGs, which were assessed useful for understanding territorial approaches to local development.
These findings come at a timely moment, as negotiations on the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, including its proposed Global Europe Instrument, are underway. CEMR-PLATFORMA calls for a clear engagement framework, dedicated funding mechanisms for LRGs, and stronger support for decentralised cooperation as a route to shared development goals.
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), together with President Christoph Schnaudigel, voices full solidarity with Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, member of the CEMR Policy Committee, following her detention, and calls on Turkish authorities and European institutions to defend local self-government and the rule of law.
CEMR has issued a statement expressing its deep concern over the detention today of Sinem Dedetaş, Mayor of Üsküdar and member of the CEMR Policy Committee, along with several members of her team.
CEMR stresses that this is not an isolated case, but the latest in a sustained series of actions targeting democratically elected local representatives in Türkiye. Since the 2024 local elections, more than 80 municipalities in the country have seen their elected mayors replaced through trustee appointments, dismissals or arrests, while over 30 mayors have been detained, many remaining in prolonged pre-trial detention.
“As President of CEMR, I wish to express full solidarity with Mayor Sinem Dedetaş and with all local elected representatives affected by these developments“, writes Christoph Schnaudigel, CEMR President and President of the County of Karlsruhe (Germany).
It should be noted that when mayors and local leaders are deprived of their liberty and unable to exercise the mandates entrusted to them by citizens, the consequences extend far beyond those directly concerned: each case leaves a community without the representatives it elected. Taken together, these developments point to a steady erosion of local democracy and a lack of respect for the will of voters in Türkiye.
CEMR recalls the importance of the principles enshrined in the European Charter of Local Self-Government, including respect for democratic mandates and the autonomy of local governments; principles CEMR considers essential to maintaining citizens’ trust in democratic institutions at all levels.
CEMR calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure full respect for fundamental democratic standards and the rule of law, and to guarantee that elected representatives can carry out their responsibilities freely and without undue interference. It also calls on European institutions and the international community to stand in solidarity with democratically elected local representatives in Türkiye, and to continue advocating for the protection of local self-government, democratic institutions and the rule of law.
CEMR will continue to monitor developments closely and stand alongside its members and partners in Türkiye in their commitment to democratic local governance.
The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum entered its application phase this year. The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) puts a question at the centre of that transition: are the local and regional governments who will actually deliver the Pact being treated as partners in shaping it?
Drawing on a questionnaire circulated among CEMR member associations, direct exchanges with local and regional leaders, and complementary desk research, the report maps how prepared towns, cities and regions are for the Pact’s application, how involved they have been in designing it, and what they say they need to make it work.
Already central, not always recognised
The findings confirm what many mayors and regional leaders already know from experience: local and regional governments are not new to migration governance; they are already at its centre. Long before the Pact, towns, cities and regions were carrying the bulk of integration, housing, education, health and social support for migrants and asylum seekers. Regional authorities reported responsibilities in this field in 87.5% of cases, and municipal authorities in 62.5%.
A governance gap
Half of respondents said local and regional governments were not consulted at all during the Pact’s negotiation and drafting. Where consultation did happen, it was often informal, ad hoc, or limited to written contributions requested by national authorities. No country reported involving local and regional governments (LRGs) as genuine co-designers of national implementation plans, CEMR calls this a “missing link” in multi-level governance: the level expected to deliver the Pact on the ground is rarely in the room when the rules are set.
A capacity gap
Responsibility without resources is a recurring theme. Only Austria considered its LRGs “mostly prepared” for the Pact; several other countries reported no additional resources at all since 2024. Where support existed, it was sporadic: extra IT tools here, an operational manual there, rarely the stable, dedicated funding implementation requires.
A coordination gap
Information about the Pact often reached local authorities through fragmented channels — circulars, ministry emails, informal networks, even the press; and clarity about who is responsible for what varied sharply from one country to the next. This uncertainty was not a side effect; it actively hampered planning, budgeting, and staffing decisions on the ground.
Was the deadline ever realistic?
For most respondents, the June 2026 application deadline of the Pact looked difficult or uncertain, well before it arrived, held back by staff shortages, unclear national guidance, and delayed preparations. Yet the report also points to a genuine reserve of capability: local authorities’ rapid, resourceful response to the displacement of people fleeing Ukraine shows what towns, cities and regions can do under pressure — provided that effort does not have to rely on improvisation every time.
What comes next
The analysis closes with three recommendations:
Formally recognise LRGs within the Pact’s governance architecture;
Strengthen synergies between AMIF, ESF+ and other EU funds around a more place-based approach;
Ensure the Pact’s monitoring mechanisms track local and regional implementation, not only national transposition.
CEMR will continue to bring this evidence into the EU debate as the Pact moves further into its implementation phase.
The future of the 2030 Agenda should be local, or it won’t be
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More than 15 European mayors and local leaders dominated the stage this week in New York. They run from one session to another at the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development to defend the role of towns, cities and regions in delivering the 2030 Agenda and helping define what comes next. Through various events, mostly co-organised by the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments led by UCLG, European local leaders took the floor more than 50 times.
With only four years to go until 2030, the clock is ticking to implement as much as possible the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but also to shape their future. During the UN-proofed Local and Regional Governments Forum, but also the Global Task Force Local and Regional Governments Day, and the CEMR-PLATFORMA meeting with the EU Delegation in New York, mayors and local leaders gave examples and ideas on how to implement the 2030 Agenda from the ground. They all asked the United Nations (UN) to deepen local and regional governments’ engagement, stressing that SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), among many others, cannot be delivered without empowering towns, cities and regions.
Even if the Local and Regional Governments Forum is officially recognised as being part of HLPF, towns, cities and regions are absent from the final conclusions of the ECOSOC (UN’s Economic and Social Council, a platform to advance the economic, social and environmental dimension of sustainable development), responsible for the organisation of HLPF. However, the numerous UN officials who attended the various sessions all recognised the key role of local and regional governments in achieving the SDGs and defining their future shape.
High-Level Policy Forum – CEMR and PLATFORMA, New York 2026
The voice of European local leaders at the United Nations
The future is local
Wim Dries, Mayor of Genk (Belgium), Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG): “Local and regional governments are often invited only after decisions have already been made. We need a stronger role in decision-making, adequate financing, and better coordination. We connect SDGs to budgets. The SDGs will be local or they won’t be.”
Antoine Le Solleuz, Deputy Mayor of Nancy (France), AFCCRE and Cités Unies France: “For me, SDG17 (Partnerships for the goals) is not the last SDG, it’s in fact the first one. We need real commitments to meet the SDGs by 2030. We call on the UN to recognise networks of cities and regions as partners, especially in areas such as the climate crises, to strengthen multilateralism.”
Xavier García Albiol, Mayor of Badalona (Spain), Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP): “As we look beyond the 2030 Agenda, we must build on what works. SDG localisation delivers results, but we need stronger financing, partnerships, and empowered governments at the heart of implementation.”
“Housing must be at the centre of the future post 2030 Agenda. The challenge beyond 2030 will depend on how well we deliver on the commitments we have already made. Rather than setting new goals, we need to focus on the areas where implementation is still falling short and where the response has not been sufficient. The years after 2030 will be decisive in turning these commitments into tangible benefits that citizens can clearly see and experience.”
Local leaders in New York for the High-Level Policy Forum 2026
María del Mar Vázquez, Mayor of Almería (Spain), Andalusian Fund of Municipalities for International Solidarity (FAMSI): “We have developed a local plan to localise the 2030 Agenda, with over 70% achieved so far. To face our challenges, we need: real multilevel governance, financing, and stronger cooperation between different spheres of governance.”
Barbara Meyer, Mayor of the City of Saarbrücken, German Association of Cities (DST): “Cities are responsible for more than a third of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That is why cities should be the focus of the era beyond 2030.”
Eckart Würzner, Mayor of Heidelberg (Germany), Association of German Cities (DST): “We need a step forward: empowering local governments through local development banks and stronger funding mechanisms. We see more and more discussions and support from finance ministers and development banks towards local and regional governments. It is time to ensure this happens. SDG 11 should be at the centre of the future SDGs. If you focus on city diplomacy, you can be the game changer.”
Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and President of the Norwegian Association of Local & Regional Authorities (KS): “The SDGs won’t be achieved in conference rooms. They will happen within local communities.”
Quality public services and adequate funding
Local 2030 meeting – High-Level Policy Forum in New York 2026
Jordi Castellana, Vice President of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Spain: “Quality public services are how people experience the SDGs. Metropolitan governments need stronger multilevel cooperation and direct access to finance to deliver local change.”
Clare Hart, Vice-President of Montpellier metropole (France), Cités Unies France: “Infrastructure alone is never enough. Sustainable public services require strong local governance, skilled public institutions and trust —and maybe even caring— between our partners. This is why investing in territorial cooperation is also investing in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Marek Hudak, Member of the City of Bardejov and Member of Presov Regional Council (Slovakia), Member of CEMR Young Elected Officials Committee (YEOC), Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS): “Looking beyond 2030, our cities and regions face major challenges. From a Slovak perspective, strengthening decentralisation – with adequate funding, competences and responsibilities – it is essential, especially in the context of the future Cohesion Policy and the next EU budget. At the same time, innovation will be key to keeping our regions competitive and ensuring that young people can build their futures in the places they call home.”
Stronger partnerships
High-Level Policy Forum debate in New York 2026
Ander Caballero, Secretary General for External Action, Basque Government, Spain: “Major global challenges also require responses at the regional and local levels. Systemic challenges cannot be solved in silos. Strong partnerships across all levels of government, academia and communities are essential, because how we work together is just as important as what we achieve.”
Rosanna Laconi, Regional Minister of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy): “Strong partnerships, robust evaluation and inclusive governance are key to scaling local action and delivering lasting impact.”
Clare Hart, Vice-President of Montpellier Métropole (France), Cités Unies France: “It is equally important that local governments have a voice and a seat at the table here at the United Nations, a highly symbolic place where local voices are finally being heard and where we can contribute directly to shaping our future. Let’s be optimistic about the future, with cities fully engaged as partners in delivering sustainable development for all.”
“We have the imminent end of the 2030 Agenda for the SDGs, and we are not strictly on track. Local governments are responsible for delivering 70–80% of the SDGs, which makes supporting them essential to advancing the SDGs agenda. Sharing ideas is key to accelerating progress and strengthening collaboration.”
Eider Inuntziaga, Councillor for Citizen Attention and Participation, the 2030 Agenda and International Relations and Euskera, Bilbao City Council (Spain): “Localisation is a method. Our strategy embeds the SDGs in our daily work, with a methodology focused on a transformative agenda, action plans to involve communities and developing capacities. The post 2030 Agenda has to go one step ahead.”
Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany: “Localising the SDGs means equipping municipalities with the resources they need to deliver. Through peer learning & partnerships like the Local 2030 Coalition, cities are driving innovation.”
The UN still needs to walk the talk
CEMR and PLATFORMA in New York for the High-Level Policy Forum 2026
Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT): “Localising the SDGs is the only way to close the implementation gap. Through the Local2030 Coalition, we are working together to support cities and local governments with the tools, partnerships, and platforms they need.”
Koldo Casla, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing: “The right to housing is realised locally. From social and public housing to rent control and land policies, local and regional governments play a central role in protecting human rights & ensuring no one is left behind.”
Sarah Lister, Global Director for Governance, Rule of Law and Peacebuilding, UNDP: “The last five years of the 2030 Agenda demand stronger collaboration across all levels of government. Empowering local governments while reinforcing national-local partnerships will be essential to accelerate progress on the SDGs.”
Dario Liguti, Director, Energy, Housing & Land Management Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE): “Local and regional governments need to be involved from the outsets in implementing solutions. The Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments makes this possible by bringing the organised voices of LRGs to the steering committee of Local 2030″
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General: “SDGs must be built with local actors. The UN Secretary General’s Report sets out how the UN needs to work. The role of local and regional governments needs to be embedded in how we plan, finance and deliver. Let this Forum be a catalyst for shared solutions”
Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC): “We need to strengthen local actions through Voluntary Local Reviews, to reinforce the value of local acceleration of the 2030 Agenda. The next phase needs to be defined by delivery, measurable actions, strong partnerships and local action.”
“The next phase of SDG implementation must be defined by delivery – moving from commitments to measurable action, strengthening partnerships across all levels of government, and ensuring solutions reach the communities where they are needed most. The success of the 2030 Agenda will ultimately be measured not by the ambitions we express, but by the realities people experience in their daily lives. That is why local leadership is indispensable.”
To strengthen the role of local and regional governments in the 2030 Agenda and the post‑2030 framework, CEMR and PLATFORMA, together with UCLG, will continue working closely with local leaders and with actors across the multilateral system. They will also keep producing knowledge, including reports like the one presented this year at the HLPF (European Territories Localise the SDGs), which shows how essential towns, cities and regions are to delivering the SDGs.
With less than four years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, a new CEMR–PLATFORMA report highlights a clear message from local and regional governments across Europe: sustainable development will only succeed if cities, towns and regions are placed at the centre of decision-making, financing and implementation.
Published by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and PLATFORMA at the occasion of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the 2026 edition of the report European territories localise the SDGs: Cities at the core of the implementation examines how local and regional governments are contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what is needed to accelerate progress during the final stretch to 2030.
The study is based on a survey of 23 respondents from 17 countries, including associations of local and regional governments from 15 EU Member States and two non-EU countries.
Local action is essential for global goals
The report comes at a pivotal moment. As both the UN New Urban Agenda and the Urban Agenda for the EU reach their tenth anniversary, local and regional governments are reaffirming their indispensable role in translating global ambitions into concrete results on the ground.
From mobility and housing to climate resilience and social inclusion, towns, cities and regions are responsible for many of the policies that directly affect residents’ daily lives. According to the report, SDG implementation is not primarily a technical matter but a political one, requiring trust, resources and authority to be devolved to the territorial level.
The publication places particular emphasis on SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, one of the goals under review at the 2026 HLPF. It argues that sustainable urban development cannot be achieved without strong local democracy, effective multi-level governance and meaningful involvement of subnational authorities in national and international decision-making processes.
Six recommendations to accelerate SDG implementation
Drawing on the experience of local and regional governments, the report puts forward six recommendations addressed to the United Nations, the European Union and national governments.
Among its key messages, the study calls for:
Reinforcing multi-level governance as a political priority for the 2026–2030 period.
Placing the subnational level at the centre of SDG implementation, including stronger participation of local and regional governments in global review processes and improved access to development finance.
Reaffirming the importance of the UN New Urban Agenda as the main global framework for sustainable urbanisation.
Ensuring that cities and towns remain central to Europe’s sustainable development agenda through stronger alignment between EU and UN urban policy frameworks.
Recognising the role of territories in the upcoming EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034, with more accessible and place-based funding for municipalities and regions.
Accelerating the localisation of the SDGs by fully involving local and regional governments in the design and implementation of sustainable development policies.
A contribution to the global SDG debate
Beyond policy recommendations, the report showcases good practices from across Europe and explores how local and regional governments are advancing the goals under review in 2026 (SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals). It also includes a dedicated focus on housing and the outcomes of discussions linked to the World Urban Forum, reflecting growing concerns about affordability, inclusion and sustainable urban growth.
As the international community approaches the final years of the 2030 Agenda, the report sends a strong and consistent message: the SDGs will be achieved — or missed — at the local level. Empowering towns, cities and regions with the necessary political mandate, resources and partnerships is therefore not optional, but essential.
Sustainable Development Goals – European local leaders at the UN table
A delegation of more than 15 European local leaders is heading to New York next week for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) organised by the United Nations. There, thanks to the coordination of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments (GTF) led by UCLG,they will take the floor at several high-level events to defend the key role of towns, cities and regions in localising the 2030 Agenda, but also designing its future shape. This includes, among others, the UN Habitat and Local2030 coalition annual event (14 July), UCLG Local and Regional Government Day (15 July) and CEMR-PLATFORMA breakfast meeting at the EU Delegation (16 July).
Under the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a sustainable future for all”, this year HLPF will concentrate on the review of a crucial goal for local and regional governments: SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). It will also focus on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), where local and regional governments play a key role.
Mayors and councillors will present the CEMR-PLATFORMA annual study: European Territories Localise the SDGs |Cities at the core of the implementation. With examples from 23 associations of local and regional governments, the report highlights concrete local actions supporting the SDGs under review in 2026, while stressing the need for stronger multilevel governance, financing and partnerships to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda.
A special focus on housing and territorial inequalities underlines that achieving sustainable development requires empowering towns, cities and regions, sharing good practices, and ensuring that no community is left behind.
A large delegation of European local leaders
Among CEMR members and PLATFORMA partners’ local leaders attending HLPF this year are:
Rosa del Amo, Third Deputy Mayor of the City of Badalona (Spain), Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP)
María del Mar Vázquez Agüero, Mayor of the City of Almeria (Spain), Andalusian Fund of Municipalities for International Solidarity (FAMSI)
Óscar Bleda, Councilor of the City of Almeria (Spain), Andalusian Fund of Municipalities for International Solidarity (FAMSI)
Wim Dries, Mayor of the City of Genk (Belgium), President of the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG)
Xavier García Albiol, Mayor of the City of Badalona (Spain), Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP)
Clare Hart, Vice-President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole and President of the Crisis Group of Cités Unies France (CUF)
Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and President of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS)
Marek Hudak, Member of the City of Bardejov and Member of Presov Regional Council (Slovakia), Member of CEMR Young Elected Officials Committee (YEOC), Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS)
Eider Inuntziaga, Councillor for Citizen Attention and Participation, the 2030 Agenda and International Relations and Euskara of the City of Bilbao (Spain), CEMR Spokesperson on Local Democracy, Relations and Euskera
Antoine Le Solleuz, Deputy Mayor of the City of Nancy, President of the Lebanon Country Group of Cités Unies France (CUF)
Michael Maas, Mayor of the City of Pirmasens, German Association of Cities (DST)
Barbara Meyer, Mayor of the City of Saarbrücken, German Association of Cities (DST)
Giorgos Papanastasiou, Mayor, City of Agrinio (Greece) and second Vice President of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE)
André Viola, President of the Aude Departmental Council (France), Cités Unies France (CUF)
Dirk Wurm, Mayor of the City of Augsburg, German Association of Cities (DST)
Eckart Würzner, Mayor of the City of Heidelberg, German Association of Cities (DST)
In Gdańsk, the Ukraine Recovery Conference confirmed the importance of local and regional governments in Ukraine’s recovery and EU accession
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The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2026), co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, took place in Gdańsk on 25 and 26 June 2026. Being one of the largest international gatherings dedicated to bolstering international support for the country’s reconstruction, as well as catalysing investments for Ukrainian businesses and local governments, this edition brought together more than 5,000 participants.
Heads of state, ministers, donors, and international organisations converged in the Polish city to address the most relevant challenges to Ukraine’s future: energy, critical infrastructure, logistics, and, for the first time, security capabilities.
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) participated in the URC2026 representing the secretariat of the European Partnership Hub (EPH), which facilitates the Bridges of Trust (BoT) Community. Two years after the launch of the Matchmaking Platform at URC 2024, and one year after, the launch of the European Partnership Hub (EPH) – hosted by CEMR – at URC 2025 to facilitate the BoT Community actors active in international municipal cooperation with Ukraine, CEMR was present at URC 2026 with a dedicated booth showcasing the collective efforts of the BoT Community and best practices in international municipal cooperation with Ukraine.
CEMR contributed to the local and regional dimension of the conference and thus carried a specific voice, that of local and regional governments. CEMR President Christoph Schnaudigel represented the organisation throughout the two days conference together with Olha Pikula, CEMR Spokesperson on Enlargement and Deputy Mayor of Mariupol City Council, and Oleksandr Vasylenko, Head of the Cherkasy District Council and First Vice-President of the Ukrainian Association of Rayon and Oblast Councils (UAROR).
A joint statement and a call for coordination
On the eve of the conference, the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine gathered its 100 members to endorse a joint statement setting out concrete priorities for donor action and Ukraine’s EU integration. As a founding member of the Alliance, CEMR contributed directly to this collective effort. Oleksandr Vasylenko, represented CEMR during the political-level Alliance meeting.
In his statement, he emphasised: “The Bridges of Trust Community, facilitated by the European Partnership Hub and supported by U-LEAD with Europe, is a successful example of practical cooperation and joint efforts of various actors across Europe. All of these actors deliver tangible results in partnership building and capacity development demonstrating the diversity and potential of municipal cooperation.”
The statement recognises that Ukrainian towns, cities and regions have been at the core of the country’s resilience since the start of the full-scale invasion, providing emergency response, maintaining infrastructure, and acting as operational hubs for humanitarian assistance, all whilst preparing for a sustainable future. It calls on institutional partners to treat local and regional governments as strategic partners and integral decision-makers in reconstruction governance, and urges donors to allocate ring-fenced, transparent funding for local and regional development, including direct access to finance and dedicated technical assistance.
Critically for CEMR and the EPH, the statement underlines the potential of municipal cooperation with Ukraine and calls for a reinforcement of existing coordination structures, including the Alliance itself and the BoT Community facilitated by the EPH, and to foster links between local needs, funding opportunities, and the tools already established to support peer-to-peer partnerships such as the Matchmaking Platform.
Niels Annen, State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, recognised in his intervention the significant increase of international partnerships with Ukrainian municipalities in the last years: “We have moved in the right direction, and we call for the permanent operationalisation of this coordinated effort.”
Together with Muriel Lacoue-Labarthe, Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for Ukraine’s Recovery and Reconstruction, he announced the launch of a new funding line for multi-partner cooperation involving municipalities from Germany, France, Poland and Ukraine.
Meetings and exchanges at the European Partnership Hub booth
The EPH booth was more than a presence at the conference. Positioned alongside partners from the Committee of the Regions, Eurocities and the Polish Association of Cities, it became a point of convergence for Ukrainian and European partners, hosting a series of exchanges that moved between the political and the technical, the bilateral and the collective.
CEMR President Christophe Schnaudigel met with Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk, for a focused conversation on the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the persistent need to ensure that local and regional governments have a genuine seat at the European table. The discussion touched on the importance of coordinated messaging across CEMR, the Committee of the Regions, and city networks, with Ukraine’s recovery and the potential of municipal partnerships running as a thread throughout.
A particularly significant exchange took place between CEMR President Christoph Schnaudigel and Oleksandr Vasylenko, Head of the Cherkasy District Council and First Vice-President of the Ukrainian Association of Rayon and Oblast Councils (UAROR). The two sides explored future prospects of cooperation, covering institutional ties, peer-to-peer exchanges, and support for local self-government. The conversation also engaged with a structural question that matters enormously for Ukraine’s governance: the clarity of competences assigned to rayons and oblasts as the country pursues rebuilding and decentralisation.
CEMR President Christoph Schnaudigel also met with Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, Ukrainian Deputy Minister Oleksii Riabykyn, and Olha Pikula, CEMR Spokesperson on Enlargement and Deputy Mayor of Mariupol City Council, alongside representatives of the BoT Community and partner organisations.
The Director General of Expertise France, one of the key actors within the BoT Community, also visited the EPH stand. The exchange focused on the value of mapping and evaluating existing partnerships, and on the EPH’s role as a coordination structure that helps avoid duplication and fragmentation among international actors. Within the framework of the Global Gateway, the EPH was put forward as a model for building coherent, multi-stakeholder engagement in partner countries.
On the technical side, CEMR’s Director of Projects and Programmes Durmish Guri met with Astrid Kohl, newly appointed Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe. The meeting was an opportunity to reflect on the results of this partnership: what began as a project has grown into a genuine community of actors committed to Ukraine’s recovery, decentralisation, and EU accession. That trajectory owes much to the sustained support and long-standing cooperation of U-LEAD with Europe, without which the BoT Community and the EPH would not be what they are today.
URC 2026 has shown a strong commitment to the local and regional dimension in the reconstruction of Ukraine, by the organising City of Gdansk as well as by the various associations and networks represented. Side events and exchanges at the EPH booth provided insights into the practical work of municipal partnerships, their opportunities and challenges. CEMR will use this feedback to improve the services of the EPH even further and to shape the future of municipal cooperation with Ukraine with partners from the BoT Community.
CEMR will continue working with its members and partners to ensure that local and regional governments remain central actors in shaping Ukraine’s future, as the institutions closest to the people that reconstruction is ultimately for.
About the next Ukraine Recovery Conference 2027
At the end of URC 2026 in Gdańsk, Estonia announced it will take over as host of the next Ukraine Recovery Conference, to be held in Tallinn in 2027, succeeding Poland’s role as organiser. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, Kristen Michal, confirmed the news, framing support for Ukraine’s reconstruction as directly tied to European security, and said Estonia intends to build on the momentum generated in Gdańsk. The Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna, described Ukraine’s rebuilding as Europe’s largest economic project of the coming decade, spanning infrastructure, democratic institution-building, and EU integration. Estonia also plans to draw on the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) cooperation format to pool regional expertise and resources in organising the 2027 conference.
For CEMR and the EPH, this transition sets the horizon for the next phase of municipal cooperation with Ukraine, building on the commitments and coordination structures reinforced in Gdańsk.
Climate change impact mitigation: what about the role of participatory democracy? Lessons from the FOSTER Project
On 9 June 2026, the FOSTER project brought together policymakers, researchers, civil society organisations and citizens from across Europe for an online conference to answer the following question: how can local communities become more resilient to the long-term impacts of climate change through democratic participation?
Hosted by the partner Foster Europe Foundation, the event offered a unique opportunity to showcase the results achieved throughout the project while fostering a broader discussion on the role of participatory democracy, strategic foresight and collaborative governance in addressing climate-related challenges.
Participants had the opportunity to explore the case studies, exchange perspectives and reflect on the lessons learned in the project. The presentations demonstrated how strategic foresight can become a powerful tool for communities to anticipate future challenges and transform them into opportunities for collective action and highlighted both the potential and the challenges of participatory climate governance.
Despite the diversity of local contexts, several common challenges emerged from the case studies. Participants highlighted the increasing vulnerability of urban areas to extreme weather events, the unequal distribution of green infrastructure, the need to protect and regenerate public spaces, and the importance of ensuring that climate adaptation measures also address social inclusion and quality of life.
Strategic foresight as a key tool for engaging with local stakeholders
The FOSTER local pathways demonstrated how participatory foresight can help communities move beyond short-term responses and engage in long-term thinking. Through workshops, scenario-building exercises and co-design activities, citizens, civil society organisations and local authorities worked together to identify future risks and develop locally grounded solutions. These ranged from urban greening interventions and climate-resilient public spaces to sustainable housing strategies, stronger governance mechanisms and new forms of civic participation.
The project also highlighted the importance of building trust between citizens and public institutions. Involving municipal representatives directly in the participatory process helped create constructive dialogue and increased the legitimacy of the proposed solutions. At the same time, participants recognised that maintaining engagement over time remains a challenge. Project’s partners highlighted the phenomenon of “participation fatigue”. Discussions confirmed that citizens are willing to engage in climate-related decision-making when they can clearly understand the purpose of the process and when their contributions are translated into concrete actions.
Another key lesson emerging from the conference and the project was that participatory processes alone are not sufficient. Long-term impact requires institutional commitment, supportive legal frameworks, coordination among stakeholders, and mechanisms that ensure the implementation of the solutions developed collaboratively. As several speakers noted, participation is most effective when it becomes an integral part of governance rather than an isolated project activity.
Together, these contributions reinforced one of the key messages emerging from the FOSTER project: addressing climate change requires governance models that combine long-term thinking, community participation and cross-sector collaboration. Resilient communities are built through inclusive decision-making processes that empower citizens to actively anticipate and shape their futures while co-creating practical and inclusive responses.
Reflecting on what local governance means in the face of current challenges
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Local and regional governments across Europe are under growing pressure. Tight budgets, staff shortages, rising social care needs, climate challenges, and digital transformation are pushing governments to rethink how they deliver services and allocate resources to meet increasingly diverse local needs. At the same time, citizens expect more services that are responsive, accessible, and rooted in local realities.
These issues were the subject of a recent meeting of CEMR’s Governance and Local Democracy Expert Group, where one key takeaway stood out: governance is no longer just about deciding who is responsible for what. It is more often about how different levels of government work together and their ability to do so well.
Adapting governance to new realities
Governments across Europe are pursuing all kinds of reforms — decentralisation, territorial restructuring, inter-municipal cooperation and administrative consolidation. The approaches vary, but the goal is often the same: making sure public institutions can keep up with a changing world.
But reform is not just about reshuffling structures. It raises fundamental questions: How clearly are responsibilities divided? How can governments build capacity while staying accountable? And how can reforms improve services without undermining democratic legitimacy? Ultimately, those delivering services on the ground need a real say in shaping reforms, otherwise they risk becoming exercises in administrative tinkering rather than genuine improvements.
Monitoring change
This is part of why CEMR tracks governance developments through its Territorial Governance, Structures and Reforms (TERRI) report. The previous edition, produced during COVID-19, captured how governance arrangements affected crisis response. The next edition, due this autumn, will focus on housing policy, examining how responsibilities are shared across national, regional, and local levels to meet growing demand under tight resource constraints.
The report will not have all the answers, but it will capture a moment in time. Across very different systems, one lesson holds: reform is not an end in itself. The real test is whether it makes public action more effective and more legitimate — and that is what CEMR will keep monitoring.
Committee of the Regions adopts AgoraEU opinion with CEMR’s key policy recommendations at its core
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The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted its opinion on the proposed AgoraEU programme at its 171st plenary session. Drafted by rapporteur Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita (Romania) County Council, the opinion sends a clear message to EU institutions: local and regional governments are essential implementing partners in Europe’s cultural, media and democratic future.
AgoraEU is the Commission’s proposal to merge Creative Europe and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme into a single framework for the EU budget 2028–2034, covering three strands: culture, media, and democracy. While the ambition to create coherence is welcome, CEMR and the CoR have both underlined that this merger must not dilute the specific objectives and funding of each stream.
Ahead of the CoR’s deliberations, CEMR submitted several policy recommendations to the European Committee of the Regions, which have been reflected across four critical areas.
Town twinning: from omission to recognition
The most important alignment concerns town twinning and networks of towns. CEMR called for twinning to be recognised as a strategic democratic instrument with a clearly earmarked budget line — a cost-effective vehicle for civic participation, intercultural dialogue and European identity-building, especially in the context of geopolitical instability and enlargement process.
The CoR echoes this directly, calling for twinning networks and cross-border municipal partnerships with dedicated multi-annual funding. It also formally regrets that the Commission’s proposal dropped the twinning actions provided for under CERV and calls for their reinstatement. Town twinning reaches hundreds of thousands of citizens each year, including in small towns and rural areas rarely served by complex EU funding instruments. A CEMR Analysis of Twinning in Europe in 2023 showed that local and regional government associations (LRGAs) play an important role in twinning. More than 80% of respondents stated that they have been active in this field in the last two years and 75% declared interest to continue and to develop activities even further including cultural exchange, peer learning and joint project implementation.
National Contact Points and simplified access
National local and regional government associations and city networks have a proven track record in channelling EU funding to grassroots actors. CEMR argued that well-resourced National Contact Points, hosted by national associations of local and regional governments, are essential to reach smaller municipalities, rural areas and first-time applicants, and that national associations and municipal networks should be formally recognised as strategic bridge actors empowered to manage Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) mechanisms.
The CoR moves in the same direction, though with its own framing. It stresses that proportionality must be assessed not only in policy scope but in accessibility and inclusivity, and endorses simplified grant formats, capacity-building support and two-step application and cascade grant processes that have proven their value in previous programmes. It also calls for AgoraEU contact points to be established at least at national level, and where appropriate at regional level. Critically, it proposes that own contribution requirements for small-scale and grassroots initiatives be capped at 10% of total eligible costs, coverable through national, regional or local co-financing — a practical measure that directly addresses one of the most persistent barriers to bottom-up participation.
Embedding local governments within the programme’s governance framework
The CoR holds that AgoraEU must fully align with active subsidiarity and multilevel governance, calling for the role of LRAs to be formally recognised in the regulation, for territorial participation indicators to be introduced, and for evaluation criteria to be explicitly linked to territorial cohesion and citizen engagement.
What comes next
The CoR opinion is a strong institutional signal. The challenge now is to carry this territorial voice into the EU budget negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council.
CEMR will continue to advocate for the four pillars essential to making AgoraEU work for local and regional governments: a protected budget line for twinning actions; well-resourced National Contact Points with a genuine territorial mandate; formal recognition of intermediary organisations to facilitate the access to small subgrants; and meaningful participation of LRGs representatives in programme governance from the outset.
Culture, media and democracy are lived every day in town squares, local theatres and municipal councils across Europe. AgoraEU has the potential to reinforce that. The CoR has made clear what it takes — now it is up to the European Parliament and the Council to move towards this direction.
Read the Committee of the Regions’ adopted opinion [here]
