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BORDELOT Federica
In Climate, Climate, Governance, Governance, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy, Local democracy, Migration and inclusion, Migration and inclusion, Publications, Territorial development, Twinning

Empowering local Europe 

European Town - News

CEMR unveils its vision for stronger, inclusive and sustainable territories across Europe

Read full position paper

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has launched its political manifesto calling for a more inclusive, resilient, and citizen-driven European Union. With over 41 national associations of local and regional governments behind it, the manifesto sets out a roadmap to bring Europe closer to its citizens, starting from the ground up. 

At its heart are six concrete proposals to reinvigorate European democracy: from establishing permanent citizen panels and annual Europe Day debates in schools, to relaunching town twinning and creating an Erasmus-style programme for civil servants. 

CEMR also stresses that a strong Europe must leave no one and no place behind. It calls for renewed efforts to tackle territorial disparities, address depopulation, and ensure that public services, from education to health, are accessible to all citizens, no matter where they live. 

The manifesto also focuses on key priorities for the coming decade, including: 

  • Citizen participation through inclusive local democracy; 
  • Empowered local climate action, as cities and regions lead Europe’s green transition; 
  • Fair and coordinated migration policies, with strong local support for integration; 
  • Digital transformation that bridges the urban–rural divide; 
  • New forms of town-to-town partnerships, especially beyond the EU’s borders; 
  • And financial means to invest in sustainable local infrastructure and innovation. 

CEMR’s proposals emphasise the urgent need for deeper recognition of local and regional governments in European decision-making. This includes a stronger role for the Committee of the Regions, the creation of a local chamber, and systematic consultation of representative associations like CEMR when shaping EU legislation and strategies. 

By calling for a Europe that is democratic, sustainable, and close to its people, the manifesto is a bold invitation to reimagine the Union from the local level up, with municipalities and regions playing a central role in shaping the continent’s future. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

BENNIS Hamza
In Digitalisation, Digitalisation, Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Latest, Publications

Principles for a digital transition for all

Digital transition - News 2022

Is the EU’s new approach in tune with local and residents’ needs?

Read full position paper

Digital services, online platforms and electronic devices have become part of our everyday life, bringing us countless new opportunities for professional and personal development. However, innovation can come at a cost. Continuous access to information and data can put our privacy at risk and expose us to misinformation, fraud and discrimination.

For this reason, the European Commission recently issued a “Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade” with guidelines to ensure a fair and inclusive digital transition. The document will shape future EU digital rules, such as the upcoming Data Act on sharing of information between businesses and governments.

CEMR provided its input during the Commission’s consultation preparing the digital decade declaration. In fact, we recently adopted our own position paper “Digital Services for All: Principles for a digital transition in European local and regional governments”. The paper outlines CEMR members’ views on the digital transition, a trend which is transforming the role and activities of local and regional governments.

Several of the principles put forward by CEMR members were also reflected in the Commission’s Declaration, notably on the importance of user-centred digital services, consultation between levels of government for setting standards and the upgrading of digital skills among citizens. Read our take on the declaration and what’s in store for local governement.

Interoperable and transparent data management

Digital Services for All outlines the conditions needed for local and regional governments to provide effective and inclusive digital services for all citizens.

These include the development of open international standards through dialogue between all levels of governments – European, national, regional and local – and between the public and private sectors. Only through dialogue with all stakeholders can solutions suitable to all be found.

Public and private actors must bear in mind that the interoperability of services and systems is crucial to ensuring smooth data exchange. Data management must be transparent. To this end, local and regional governments comply with GDPR and other regulations on accessing public-sector data. 

Inclusive digital services

Digitalisation of public services is useless if the people concerned, our citizens and users, cannot access them. That is why CEMR strongly advocates a non-discriminatory approach for the deployment of digital public services, taking into account economic and social barriers.

Awareness of intersectionality – the interaction of these economic and social barriers – means always ensuring public services are accessible and usable by everyone, regardless of the conditions they face. Proactive actions are needed to make sure that elderly people, persons with disabilities, marginalised and vulnerable individuals are not excluded.

Finally, we can only reap the full fruits of digitalisation if people have the skills needed to participate. We need coordinated action to further develop digital skills and literacy among public officials, citizens and indeed all users. Only an informed society and a digitally literate public will be able to make the most out of digital services.

Read the position paper here

For more information, contact:

ROSSI Fabrizio
In About CEMR, Latest

CEMR Secretariat

CEMR New Presidency - News 2022

CEMR secretary general Frédéric Vallier ends his mandate

On 31 January 2022, Frédéric Vallier ended his second mandate as secretary general of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). In a letter addressed to the CEMR members, partners, friends and colleagues, he looks back on 12 years at the service of local and regional governments in Europe.

“After two mandates serving local and regional governments and their associations, it is now time to say good bye, it has been an honour to serve CEMR for those last 12 years. I would like to thank all of you for the confidence you gave me along all these years.

I leave with the feeling of that I did the job, bringing CEMR secretariat from 20 to close to 40 collaborators, strengthening its finances, placing it at the centre of representation of Local and Regional Governments in Europe while giving space to partnerships with allies, other networks of local and regional governments in Europe and the World, the institutions, academics and civil society organisations.

I would like to thank my colleagues and former colleagues who supported me all along these years, the “dream team” from the secretariat for the work done, I have tried to be a fair manager, giving each staff member the possibility to develop their ideas and projects in the best manner, sometime pushing them to the maximum to give their best, launching new ideas that came up in one of my troubled nights. I would like also to thank all the colleagues from member associations for their support and understanding, it was not always easy but I enjoyed the discussions and debates to find sound compromises respecting the diversity we represent.

CEMR is a family, and like in every family, we have debates and discussions with good shared moments and sometimes also more difficult times. It has been the main part of my life those past 12 years.

Along these years, we have built a strong organisation, recognised by the European and International institutions, thanks to our mobilisation for Sustainable development, Cohesion, the fight against Climate change, International cooperation to name a few of the issues where our action had a meaningful impact to support the building of a fairer Europe.

Equality has been a driver for me, and I am particularly proud that we made this organisation the first one to apply equality of women and men in its statutory bodies, there are still progress to be made obviously but I think we contributed greatly in promoting equality and diversity in both our political leadership and our secretariat.

I would like to thank our partners with whom we have reinforced the role of local and regional governments in the governance of Europe and at global level: our sister organisations, UCLG and all the regional sections, NALAS, but also the AER, ABRE, CPMR and Eurocities with whom we have built meaningful coalitions; Climate Alliance, Energy cities, Fedarene, Iclei Europe, our partners on the European and Global Covenant of Mayors, Climate Chance and Iclei World with whom we have ensured the representation of LRGs in International Climate fora; our 30 partners from Platforma including the AIMF, CLGF, UCLG, UCLGA who share with us the priviledge to be strategic partners of the European Development Policy, the successive teams of Devco and Intpa who helped us strengthening this strategic partnership; the Members of the European Parliament, in particular the Chairs and members of the AGRI, BUDG, DEVE, ENVI, FEMM, LIBE, REGI Committees; Jan Olbrycht and the members of the Urban Intergroup; the European Movement International where we bring the voice of LRGs and who brings the voices of citizens in our meetings and work; our institutional partners, the Congress of Local and Regional governments and the Committee of the Regions; the OECD, UN Habitat and other UN agencies; OLA with whom we have published so many studies and research. And all the others I might have forgotten in this long list…

I would like to pay tribute to the elected representatives who give their time and energy voluntarily to the organisation, in particular the Presidents who have been subjected to my sometime iconoclastic ideas and my repeated requests for representation in this or that meeting: Michael Häupl, Wolfgang Schuster, Annemarie Jorritsma, Inigo de la Serna and Stefano Bonaccini.

I would like to say a special word to my French friends, I want to thank them for their support, in good times as well as in difficult ones.

I leave with a sense of achievement, even if I would have liked to continue, that is no secret, but I take note of the Presidency’s decision and I wish good luck to the new Secretary general, Fabrizio Rossi.

CEMR’s richness lies in its ability to bring together the whole family of local and regional governments, whatever their size, their functions and the status of their country in Europe. I have always regarded national associations with the same respect, there are no small associations in CEMR, there are only members united together to defend democracy and local and regional self-government. There are no members of the European Union and the others because WE are Europe, a Europe united beyond our differences, a Europe made of exchanges, friendships and common battles.

Finally, I wish to thank all those who sent me messages and presents in the last few days, they have warmed my heart!

I wish CEMR the best of luck, we will meet again one day soon because I will not stop carrying the values that are ours.

Thank you all and good luck!”

Frédéric Vallier

OKKALI AKTAS Ayben
In About CEMR, Latest

Policy Committee

European Parliament - News

SecGen election, debates, papers: a busy agenda for local Europe

And that’s a wrap for the latest gathering of CEMR’s Policy Committee! Over 100 people came to Brussels or joined online to take part in the discussions of our highest decision-making body and set the agenda for local and regional Europe. You can see some memorable highlights from the debates under the hashtag #CEMRmeets.

A new secretary general for CEMR

Say hello to our new secretary general! Fabrizio Rossi has been elected for a six-year term of office at the head of the CEMR. He has extensive experience working with and on behalf of of local and regional governments, including for regional authorities in Sardinia, Barcelona and Scotland.

More recently, Fabrizio Rossi served as secretary general of Partenalia, an association representing counties at EU level, and worked at Climate-KIC, a leading EU climate innovation initiative. In the latter capacity, he managed a portfolio of multifunder programmes and projects contributing to achieving climate-neutral and resilient territories across Europe.

Position papers: setting the advocacy agenda for local and regional Europe

The Policy Committee debated and adopted several position papers which will serve as a basis for our advocacy on a wide range of issues important to local and regional governments. The papers, which will be uploaded to our website, cover the EU’s Fit for 55 decarbonisation plan, digitalisation, migration, EU economic governance, water regulation, mobility and the Conference on the Future of Europe.

What’s more CEMR’s 2022 Work Programme was amended and adopted (see here), outlining our planned activities and policy and legislative priorities for the year. We also presented CEMR’s strategy for externally-funded activities (EFAs), drafted by the secretariat together with several member associations. The strategy will help CEMR secure funding from the European Commission, donors and philanthropists, ultimately contributing to our advocacy, collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

The TERRI Report

Local leaders discussed CEMR’s brand-new report on ‘Territorial Governance, Powers and Reforms in Europe’, or TERRI Report for short. This unique online tool exposes the current state of local government systems in 40 countries and their evolution over the past decade, while also making recommendations for successful territorial reforms. This edition has a special focus on local health systems in light of the pandemic.

Presenting the report’s recommendations, Jan Van Zanen, the mayor of The Hague and the President of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), argued that territorial reforms devolving responsibilities must be accompanied by economic support. “In the Netherlands, we have faced massive decentralisation since 2015 in the social field, but the central government did not deliver adequate financial transfers”, he said.

Central Bedfordshire Councillor and Chairman of England’s Local Government Association, James Jamieson, said the TERRI Report showed the diversity of Europe’s systems of government and that decentralised countries tend to be more equal and more prosperous. “The pandemic demonstrated that local councils can deliver in a crisis”, he said. “But as we move towards recovery we need a strategic view on role local government can play in tackling challenges such as climate change, automation and an aging population.”

Debate on the Future of Europe

The Policy Committee proper was preceded by a debate on the Conference on the Future of Europe featuring mayors and senior regional, EU and national officals. Municipal leaders highlighted actions they are taking to involve ordinay citizens in this crucial event for the reform of the EU.

See you in Daejeon!

Last but not least, Emilia Saiz Carrancedo, the secretary general of UCLG, presented our global organisation’s upcoming World Congress in Daejeon, South Korea. This global summit of local and regional governments will take place between 10 and 14 October 2022.

THOMAS Carol
In Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy

Future of Europe

Democracy - News

Local and EU leaders’ debate: time to strengthen European democracy from the bottom-up!

With the Conference on the Future of Europe, citizens across the continent have a unique opportunity to organise local events and make their voice heard to shape the direction of our Union. But how can we foster citizens’ participation? And what visions do we have for municipalities and regions in the future of Europe?

Last week, ahead of our Policy Committee meeting, local and regional leaders, senior EU official and representatives of civil society took part in a debate to discuss precisely these questions.

Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, emphasised that European democracy must not be a top-down process. “Once a mayor, always a mayor,” she said. “As a former mayor, I know all politics is local.”

Mayors and regional leaders must make their voices heard at the Conference. The Croatian commissioner said it was impossible to know what the Conference’s outcome would be but that it was important to already look for ways to embed citizens’ participation in decision-making.

Taking local action to involve citizens

Involving ordinary citizens in European debates and decisions is not always easy however. Developments in Brussels and Strasbourg too often seems remote and abstract. That is why the French city of Rennes has invited local citizens to participate through municipal projects.

Flavie Boukhenoufa, Deputy Mayor of Rennes, presented Labo Europe, an organisation helping citizen get involved in and better understand the EU. This year the “Lab” launched a campaign to develop a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) for Rennes. Citizens are able to send in their ideas and participate in online debates to create the city’s proposal for a European action.

The final choice will be presented on Europe Day on 9 May. “We aim to speak not with experts but with citizens, even those who have no knowledge about the EU”, said Boukhenoufa. Get inspired by checking out this video and website on Rennes’ citizen initiative

People across Europe can provide their input to the Conference by organising local events and registering these with the official online platform. Servane Metzger, part of the Cabinet of the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, highlighted the importance of these local events in terms of engaging people and reflecting the sensibilities of different regions.

Metzger raised the possibility of maintaining the platform into the future: “The platform is an extremely powerful tool to map events. It’s really easy to see events that are nearby, that way we reach local people, not only EU specialists.”

What future for Europe?

The health of European democracy is also affected by the state of national and local democracy.  Mayor of Gdansk and CEMR Executive President Aleksandra Dulkiewicz stressed that we cannot take democracy for granted and urged protecting the next European elections from digital threats and outside interference.

Vibrant local democracy can also be a bulwark against negative developments at national level. Dulkiewicz called on the Conference to support NGOs and local and regional governments to counter rising authoritarianism. “These two pillars should be strengthened because threats to democracy, rule of law, human rights and transparency in one EU country can affect the whole community”, she said.

Jordanka Fandakova, the Mayor of Sofia and CEMR Executive President, highlighted the importance of the digital divide, with rural areas in particular often lacking connectivity. She called for making equal Internet access a priority. “Digital strategies should not only be focused on big cities, but also take into consideration the needs of small towns and communities”, she said.

No one can say what will result from the Conference. Eva Maydell, a Bulgarian MEP and President of the European Movement International (EMI), argued that pandemic showed the power of European solidarity, but also the need to strengthen our continent’s autonomy. She stressed that the EU can only maintain trust if the Conference delivers results: “Like every political project, the EU is based on a story and its ability to meet the promises it makes to its citizens.”

THOMAS Carol
In Impact community Society, Latest

CEMR and CoR investigation

Take our survey on recovery plansThis article will soon be translated into French.

A year ago, CEMR and the Committee of the Regions joined forces to run a survey to determine the extent to which municipalities, regions and their associations have been involved in preparing national post-COVID Recovery and Resilience Plans. Each national plan must be approved by Brussels in order to access EU recovery funds. The results showed that, with a few exceptions, the disappointing extent to which local governments were able to shape their national recovery plans.

rnCEMR and the Committee of the Regions are now running a second survey to determine municipalities, regions and their associations’ involvement in the implementation of the recovery plans. The survey can already be completed in English and other languages will become available by 1 February. Completion should only take 5-10 minutes. The deadline for response is 1 March 2022.

THOMAS Carol
In Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Latest, Publications

TERRI – mapping territorial reforms

Terri - News 2022

Discover “TERRI”: a new online tool mapping territorial reforms and powers in Europe

Discover the online tool

How is Europe’s complex patchwork of local and regional governments evolving? How have the responsibilities of municipalities, counties and regions changed in recent years, marked by environmental and health crises? What examples of successful territorial reforms can inspire others?

To answer these questions, we present to you a new digital report entitled, ‘Territorial Governance, Powers and Reforms in Europe’, or TERRI Report for short. This online tool highlights territorial reforms and decentralisation trends over the past decade in 40 countries. It also analyses the changing nature of relationships between central and subnational governments.

In light of the pandemic, this edition zooms in on local health responsibilities in different countries and evaluates the impact of COVID-19 on local health systems. TERRI visualises trends with numerous charts. In just a few clicks, you have access to individual country profiles, an interactive map and recommendations to policymakers for undertaking successful territorial reforms. There is also a unique tool for side-by-side comparisons of different countries’ systems of local government.

The TERRI Report is based on research by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), gathering data from its member associations on the state of local and regional governments across Europe.

The trends reshaping local Europe

While the situation in different European nations is necessarily diverse, the TERRI Report has identified several common trends.

Europe today is made up of 114,534 towns and cities, 1058 provinces and counties, and 353 regions. There have been reforms reducing the number of municipalities or regions in several countries. These typically aimed to consolidate the territories concerned into larger entities. Portugal, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine and Turkey for example, all saw drastic reductions in the number of municipalities, while Norway and France considerably reduced the number of regions.

National associations of local and regional governments emerge as central players in both territorial reforms and healthcare systems. As regards healthcare, associations play a key role through activities such as sharing expert information and best practices amongst their members and in negotiating healthcare roles and budgets with national governments.

In many countries, there has been a decentralisation of healthcare responsibilities. This typically takes the form of increased healthcare responsibilities for subnational governments and/or more healthcare coordination between levels of government.

These are just a few of the changes that are affecting local life in our municipalities and regions. To find out more, explore the TERRI Report at: terri.cemr.eu

For more information, contact:

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:

ROSSI Fabrizio
In Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy

In memoriam

In memoriam - News

The passing away of David Sassoli leaves a “terrible void” in Europe

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing away of David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, at the age of 65.

“David Sassoli was first a journalist, and then an excellent politician and a man of the institutions, but he was above all an outstanding human being acting with commitment and passion for a Europe of and for the people, rights and openness”, said Stefano Bonaccini, president of CEMR and of the Emilia-Romagna Region. “His death leaves a terrible void in both national and international politics.”

“In addition to his deep European commitment and strong support for territorial development, PresidentSassoli will be remembered as the man who steered the Parliament through the worst of the COVID crisis, enabling MEPs to work effectively against and despite the pandemic”, said CEMR Secretary General Frédéric Vallier. “In the name of Europe’s municipalities and regions, CEMRexpresses its condolences to his family, friends and his colleagues in the European Parliament.”

After a three-decade career as an Italian journalist, starting out in newspapers then moving to television and becoming a nationally known anchor, David Sassoli became a member of the European Parliament in 2009 as part of the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group. Ten years later, he was elected President of the European legislative body.

Sassoli’s mandate was coming to an end this January. MEPs are expected to hold the first round of voting for his successor on Tuesday next week in Strasbourg.

GRIFFON Axelle
In Environment, Impact community Climate, Latest

Green Capital

Green City - News Section

Grenoble was chosen to be the European Green Capital 2022

Grenoble was chosen by the European Commission to be the European Green Capital of the year 2022. Since 2010 and every year, this prestigious title rewards cities strongly committed to transitions and pioneers of an environmentally-friendly urban ecosystem.

The official launch of this European Green Capital year, which is organised by the City of Grenoble and the European Commission, in partnership with the Département de l’Isère and Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, and with the support of the French government, will take place on Saturday 15th January.

Access the event page here: https://greengrenoble2022.eu

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