Municipal partnerships between Ukraine and other European local governments are key drivers of recovery and resilience, reform and EU integration, mutual learning and long-term cooperation.
Through the Bridges of Trust (BoT) Community, we share good examples and success stories of municipal partnerships with Ukraine. And we are keen to discover more!
That is why the European Partnership Hub Secretariat, together with the Bridges of Trust Community, and supported by the EU and its member states through U-LEAD with Europe, initiated the Bridges of Trust Partnerships Award.
The award aims to recognise the efforts and commitment of all stakeholders involved in municipal partnerships with Ukraine to make it more visible at the national and European levels. Five municipal partnerships will be rewarded as Bridges of Trust Ambassadors 2026! Showcasing the geographical outreach and diversity of municipal cooperation in terms of topics, approaches and stakeholders involved.
BoT Partnerships Award 2026 is open for municipal partnerships of Ukrainian municipalities and their partners in the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Municipalities of all sizes can apply.
Municipal partners should apply jointly by downloading and filling in the application form below. Share your story with us!
How to apply? (Application documents below)
Fill in jointly the form to tell us about your municipal partnerships by responding to six questions.
Add the signed declaration of the two municipalities involved in the partnership.
Pre-selection by BoT Community Actors: Each partner will nominate up to three municipal partnerships based on the quality, visibility and innovation of their cooperation approaches.
CEMR reinforces its role as Europe’s Hub for Municipal Cooperation with Ukraine
A week-long mission to Kyiv, carried out by CEMR Secretary General Fabrizio Rossi and Director of Projects and Programmes Durmish Guri, has reaffirmed CEMR as a facilitating structure of the European Partnership Hub (EPH), for international municipal cooperation in support of Ukraine’s recovery, resilience, and European integration.
Although CEMR’s engagement with Ukraine stands since 2002, this visit took place within a strategically significant framework, which is the European Partnership Hub (EPH), supported by the EU and its member states through U-LEAD with Europe programme. The EPH, developed jointly with the Bridges of Trust Community actors, is designed to scale up, structure, and coordinate international municipal partnerships between European and Ukrainian municipalities.
With hundreds of bilateral and multilateral cooperation initiatives already underway and demand for further support growing, the EPH Secretariat (EPHS) provides the coherent, European-level coordination needed to align actors and eliminate duplication. This approach better serves needs on the ground and directly answers the call to action from the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, which urged the creation of a dedicated one-stop shop.
Main takeaways from the visit to Ukraine
Federating the national associations of local and regional governments.
Exchanging with key local leaders: Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv and Pikula, Deputy Mayor of MariupolCity Council
A meeting with the Mayor of Kyiv and Chair of the AUC, Vitaliy Klitschko, provided an opportunity to review more than twenty years of cooperation and to discuss the practical solidarity that Ukrainian cities need from their European counterparts. Mayor Klitschko expressed particular appreciation for CEMR’s annual declarations and its sustained international advocacy for mayors in captivity.
The meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Mariupol City Council, and also CEMR Spokesperson on EU Enlargement, Olha Pikula, covered the need for a clear CEMR position on Ukraine in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework, ensuring that Ukraine’s specific circumstances are fully reflected in both policy and funding approaches.
Dialoguing with Ukrainian ministries and the EU delegation in Ukraine
Meetings with the EU Delegation to Ukraine, including the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Stefan Schleuning and with the Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories, Oleksii Riabykin, produced a consistent political signal: Ukraine’s recovery and accession will only succeed if local and regional governments are systematically involved. Particular attention was given to Chapter 22 on Cohesion Policy, where municipalities and regions are central delivery actors, and to the urgent need for clarity on how local governments can access the Pillar III of the Ukraine Facility.
Coordinating with the Bridges of Trust Community actors working in Ukraine
A meeting with Expertise France, a key actor within the Bridges of Trust Community, illustrated the breadth of the EPHS coordination role. Discussions focused on the preparation of the Ukraine Recovery Conference and the need for a more coordinated approach to international municipal cooperation within the EU framework. The mission was also an opportunity to work alongside the U-LEAD with Europe team in Ukraine, who co-organised and supported the visit throughout the week.
What is International Municipal Cooperation, and why does it matter now in Ukraine?
International municipal cooperation refers to structured partnerships between local and regional governments across borders, enabling peer learning, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and democratic resilience. In normal times, these partnerships help municipalities share expertise and improve public services.
In Ukraine’s current context, they carry an additional and urgent purpose: they are instruments of resilience, reconstruction, and EU integration, built from the ground up.
While Ukraine’s EU accession path is negotiated at the European and national level, it is mostly implemented and made credible at the local level. Municipalities and regions are responsible for delivering essential services under wartime conditions, for rebuilding infrastructure, for supporting internally displaced persons, and for implementing the administrative and governance reforms that EU membership requires. Their full involvement in the accession process is indispensable.
The need for a coordinated approach
The meetings confirmed that the European Partnership Hub is increasingly recognised as a strategic priority. The EU Delegation in Ukraine expressed strong support for developing the Hub further as a reference of expertise on international municipal cooperation with Ukraine, covering EU policy, decentralisation, local governance, and capacity building.
The political context makes this ambition both timely and necessary. Ukraine’s recovery will only be credible, effective, and sustainable if it is co-shaped with local governments and partners. CEMR, as host of the European Partnership Hub Secretariat, together with the Bridges of Trust Community actors, are positioned to ensure that it is.
Four years ago, uncertainty dominated every conversation. As Mayor Klitschko recalled, no one believed this war would last this long. Today, the war continues, but Ukrainians translate everyday fear and uncertainty into resilience, determination, and preparedness. I, as everyone, was amazed by how Local communities have adapted and stood firm, and to see the great value of international solidarity.
Preliminary findings of ODELL point to rising violence against local politicians across Europe
Early results presented at the European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at the Local Level (ODELL) webinar on 21 May 2026 indicate that violence and intimidation against local elected representatives is increasing across Europe, with attacks frequently directed at politicians’ homes and other property and a growing concern about the under‑recorded scale of online abuse. The discussion brought together policymakers, researchers and local politicians, combining emerging evidence from Bocconi University with testimony from elected representatives and institutional actors working on democratic resilience and safety in political life.
A visible phenomenon, but only the “peak of the iceberg”
The dataset currently being assembled for the first ODELL annual report draws on local news and national report archives to capture documented incidents such as assaults, threats and arson attacks against local politicians. Explaining the approach, Gianmarco Daniele, Executive Director of the CLEAN Unit at Bocconi University and Associate Professor at the University of Milan, warned that the numbers are robust for severe incidents but cannot systematically include online abuse: “This is the peak of the iceberg as violence includes other types of attacks, like online attacks” but those are usually underreported.
More than 1,000 attacks — and rising
Daniele said the data shown so far is “based on more than 1,000 violent attacks in Europe in the last six years,” stressing that this is not only a European issue but a global one. In the European sample presented, Italy records the highest number of incidents, followed by France, with Germany, Greece and Ukraine also appearing among the countries with high totals. He also described an increase over time, including a rise in 2023 that was “mostly driven by France”.
Property attacks dominate
The patterns presented suggest that intimidation often reaches politicians through their personal environments. “The most common type of attacks is against the private property of politicians, typically arson attacks against the house or the car,” Daniele said. “The second type is attacks against government property and assaults against politicians” comes next.
For Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel, Mayor of Selçuk and CEMR Spokesperson on Local Democracy, this reflects a structural vulnerability at the closest tier of governance: “Local elected representatives are the closest democratic link to citizens. They are accessible, visible and accountable, but this makes them increasingly vulnerable.”
Women face significantly higher risks
While gender information is often missing from incident descriptions, Daniele highlighted evidence from a separate Italian study: “Women mayors are three times more likely to be attacked than men, and this is especially true right after they are elected.”
The effect on political participation was echoed by Flo Clucas, Member of Cheltenham Borough Council and Chair of CEMR’s Standing Committee on Equality, who linked intimidation – particularly online, to decisions about whether to continue in office: “That is where democracy begins and that is where, if we are not careful, democracy will end.” She added: “So many local politicians are no longer standing: some 56% in the UK might not stand again.”
Election periods increase risks – depending on institutional strength
Another trend discussed was electoral timing. Daniele explained that early analysis suggests attacks are more likely “right before and right after elections,” but the pattern depends on context: “There is a strong correlation, but this is conditional on the strength of democracy in the country.”
Online abuse amplifies the threat
Several speakers underlined that online harassment is widespread yet remains poorly captured by systematic reporting. Daniele noted that for online attacks, “a very small share is reported to the police.” Clucas described how everyday digital exposure can be weaponised: it gives those who want to intimidate councillors “a method with no mechanism for us to find out who they are.” She drew a line between democratic debate and harassment: “There are times when freedom of speech is not freedom of speech but intimidation… it’s threatening… it’s bullying.”
From the Council of Europe perspective, Bryony Rudkin,Deputy‑Leader of Ipswich Borough Council and Co‑Rapporteur of the Congress of the Council of Europe’s resolution ‘Tackling violence against local and regional elected representatives’, warned that online hate speech reflects a broader climate: “People hide behind the anonymity of a keyboard and say whatever comes into their head.”
Improving data and policy responses
Participants stressed that solutions depend on evidence, even when it is hard to gather. Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), argued that the difficulty is precisely why the initiative matters: “The gathering of data is challenging. But this is why ODELL exists. We are being innovative.” He added that the goal is to “provide evidence” and “start collecting data and intelligence to shape the right solutions.”
From the European Commission, Daniel Fleischer‑Ambrus, (Team Leader for Democracy at DG JUST in the European Commission, said: “Safety in politics is a key priority for us,” pointing to the European Democracy Shieldand the European Commission’s current work on practical tools. He highlighted that guidance, checklists and toolkits should “emerge before the end of this year.”
A direct impact on democracy
Sharon Pia Hickey, Programme Officer, Constitutional Governance and Rule of Law, International IDEA, placed the problem within broader democratic trends, thanking ODELL for “bringing to light the scale and the severity and the typology and the nuance” of what elected officials face. She described violence against elected officials as “a key manifestation of democratic backsliding, especially at the local level.”
Sengel also warned of the democratic consequences when intimidation pushes people out of public life: “When elected representatives are pressured into silence, discouraged from standing for office, or forced to withdraw, the functions of local democracy are weakened.”
A collective responsibility
Closing the event, Eider Inuntziaga, Councillor of the City of Bilbao and CEMR Spokesperson on Local Democracy, said the session had helped clarify “the scale and the patterns” behind the issue and build a shared space for solutions. She framed political safety as a condition for participation: “Local democracy only works if people feel safe to defend democracy and to raise their voices because otherwise no one will ever dare to make any opinion or any decision public.”
Inuntziaga added that intimidation has consequences well beyond the individual: “All those issues shape the way we do our work; they take away energy from where it should be focused and affect the quality of our decisions and the quality of democracy.” She added the first annual report will present the project’s first-year results in Bilbao on 2 October 2026.
The Observatory is a partnership between the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), the Municipality of Bilbao, and the Association of Basque Municipalities (EUDEL), with the scientific partnership of Bocconi University, and with the support of the Basque Government. It works to raise awareness of this growing challenge by generating reliable data and evidence, sharing best practices in good governance, promoting coordinated institutional action, and fostering collaboration among local and regional elected representatives.
Our reaction to the European Parliament draft report on National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP)
The European Parliament has taken a significant step towards shaping the future EU budget for 2028–2034 with the publication of its draft report on National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). Drafted jointly by three Members of the Parliament (MEPs) from REGI (Andrey Novakov), BUDG (Karlo Ressler) and AGRI (Elsi Katainen) Committees, the draft report is a first steps towards the Parliament’s position on how EU funding should be designed and delivered across Europe’s regions and cities.
For the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), the report sends an encouraging signal: local and regional governments must remain at the heart of EU investment policy.
Stronger and enforceable multilevel governance, recognised as a horizontal conditionality.
A dedicated earmark for integrated territorial and urban strategies
More favorable conditions for local and regional governments including reduced national co-financing, increased pre-financing and the return to N+3 decommitment rule.
It also secures concrete gains such as support for administrative capacity building and clearer territorial delivery tools, acknowledging the central role of local authorities in delivering EU priorities on the ground.
A particularly important provision for CEMR is the proposal to earmark a share of EU funding for integrated territorial and urban strategies:
“We welcome the proposal to secure at least 11% of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding for integrated territorial and urban strategies. This reinforces a place-based approach and gives local and regional governments the certainty to plan, invest and deliver results.”
Kamila Blahova, Mayor of Litvínov, CEMR Spokesperson on Territorial Cohesion.
This commitment would help ensure that investments respond directly to the needs of communities, while strengthening the ability of cities and regions to plan long-term development.
CEMR is part of the Local Alliance, a coalition of leading networks representing around 2,000 cities and regions across Europe, which has jointly reacted to the Parliament’s report. The Alliance welcomes the strengthened role for local and regional authorities and calls on EU institutions to ensure that these commitments are fully reflected in the final EU budget.
Across Europe, local elected representatives are facing growing pressure, harassment and disinformation at a time when communities need trusted leadership more than ever. In a new article published in Burgemeester (pages 158, 159 and 160), the magazine of the Dutch Association of Mayors, dedicated to local governance, democratic resilience and public leadership. In the article, CEMR presents the work of the Observatory for the Defence of Local Democracy at the Local Level (ODELL), a European initiative created to monitor threats against local democracy, support mayors and councillors, and strengthen public trust through clearer communication, evidence-based advocacy and practical tools for municipalities.
Webinar Defending Local Democracy Together
On 21 May 2026, from 14h to 15h15, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and partners of the Observatory for the Defence of Local Democracy in Europe will host an online webinar exploring the growing threats faced by local and regional elected representatives across Europe.
The discussion will bring together local leaders, experts and European partners to explore the growing challenges facing democracy at the local level, from harassment and intimidation to disinformation and declining public trust, while sharing practical solutions and experiences from across Europe.
On 21 May 2026, from 14h to 15h15, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and partners of the Observatory for the Defence of Local Democracy in Europe will host an online webinar exploring the growing threats faced by local and regional elected representatives across Europe.
Launched in December 2025 by CEMR, the Municipality of Bilbao and the Association of Basque Municipalities (EUDEL), in partnership with Bocconi University and with the support of the Basque Government, the Observatory aims to monitor, analyse and respond to the increasing pressures affecting local democracy across Europe.
The webinar will present the preliminary findings of the Observatory’s upcoming European report examining patterns of intimidation, harassment, violence and attacks targeting local and regional politicians. The discussion comes at a time when democratic institutions across Europe are facing growing polarisation, disinformation, and declining trust in public authorities.
Local elected representatives are often on the frontline of these challenges. As the level of government closest to citizens, municipalities and regions play a crucial role in safeguarding democratic participation, social cohesion and public trust.
“Threats to local politics affect integrity, how we speak, and can silence people. It can make elected representatives afraid — or push them to leave public life,” said Eider Inuntziaga, city councillor of Bilbao and CEMR spokesperson on local democracy.
The event will bring together local elected representatives, researchers, international organisations and European institutions to discuss how to strengthen democratic resilience at the local level and better protect those serving in public office.
Speakers include Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel, who will open the webinar, as well as academics and experts working on democratic governance and political violence. Representatives from the European Commission and the Council of Europe Congress will also contribute to the discussion.
The webinar will also examine threats occurring during electoral processes and explore possible policy responses to violence and intimidation targeting local elected officials.
Europe Day: CEMR celebrates 75 years with a Europe-wide meme vote
Today we celebrate Europe’s Day alongside CEMR’s anniversary, 75 years of representing and supporting local and regional governments across Europe.
Celebrated every year on 9 May, Europe Day commemorates the Schuman Declaration, which laid the foundations for peace, cooperation and shared values in Europe. For 75 years, CEMR has accompanied towns, cities and regions throughout Europe’s evolution, strengthening local democracy and cohesion at the heart of the European project.
To mark this double celebration, CEMR is once again inviting citizens to take part in a playful and interactive Europe Day initiative.
Following last year’s interactive map game highlighting EU-funded projects, this year we are launching a meme vote celebrating CEMR’s anniversary.
👉 Discover the game and vote for your favourite meme:
Participants can vote by selecting their favourite meme directly on social media. 🏆 The winning meme will be announced on Monday, 18 May.
This initiative is part of CEMR’s ongoing effort to celebrate Europe Day in a creative and accessible way, and more surprises are already in store for future editions.
The advocacy work of our national associations: the case of the Czech Republic
As negotiations on the next EU long-term budget move forward at both European and national level, CEMR is calling for a stronger role for local and regional governments in shaping EU investments and priorities.
In a recent video message, Richard Vereš, Mayor of Slezská Ostrava and CEMR Vice-President, warns that the current proposal risks moving decision-making further away from the territories most affected by EU policies. Speaking from the Moravian-Silesian region in the Czech Republic, he highlights in particular the absence of clearly dedicated funding for the Just Transition and the broader risk of weakening citizens’ trust in European institutions.
The Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic (SMO ČR) has been active both nationally and at European level, working alongside CEMR and the European Committee of Regions to advocate for a less centralised EU budget proposal that better reflects the needs of cities and regions.
Our views on the current EU budget proposal
CEMR calls for stronger guarantees for multilevel governance and partnership, greater flexibility for local governments to respond to crises, and a budget that reflects today’s challenges — from climate adaptation and housing to digital services and territorial cohesion.
The message behind the campaign is simple: when local and regional governments are involved from the start, Europe delivers better results for citizens.
For months, CEMR has been calling for:
A strong role for local and regional governments in EU programmes and funds
Clear guarantees for multilevel governance and partnership
Greater flexibility so local governments can respond quickly to crises
A budget that matches today’s real challenges, from climate adaptation to housing, digital services and territorial cohesion
CEMR’s EU budget campaign centres on one simple truth: When local and regional governments are involved from the start, Europe delivers better results for its citizens.
This is how democracy works — through cooperation, partnership and decisions made close to the people they affect.
European Parliament sets MFF 2028–2034 priorities, questions the “one plan per Member State”
On 28 April 2026, the European Parliament adopted its interim report on the Commission proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, a key political milestone as this will be the basis for the European Parliament to engage in negotiations with the Member States in the Council on the next long-term budget for the EU. With this report, the Parliament sends a clear signal: the budget architecture proposed by the European Commission risks recentralising decision-making and weakening place- based investments.
Many of the report’s messages echo CEMR’s calls to have a budget that strengthens Europe through its towns, cities and regions.
In particular, while confirming new priorities in defence and competitiveness, the EU Parliament safeguards funding for the Cohesion policy and the Common Agricultural policy. It also emphasises the need to make partnership and multilevel governance a reality, especially in the proposed National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs).
Arjen Gerritsen, King’s Commissioner of Flevoland (NL) and CEMR spokesperson on EU budget, pointed to the significance of the Parliament’s stance:
“Cities and regions plan investments in regional innovation, sustainability and strategic autonomy over decades. The next MFF must guarantee predictable funding and support long term sustainable investments at local and regional levels.”
What the European Parliament’s interim report says
A more ambitious EU budget, shielded from inflation and debt pressures
Parliament calls for the MFF to reach 1.27% of EU Gross National Income (GNI), and insists that NextGenerationEU debt servicing should be treated outside the MFF ceilings (i.e., not competing with programme spending). It also supports an adjustment method that better protects the budget’s purchasing power during inflationary shocks. This allows the Parliament to increase the budget of the three main headings: Europe’s social model and quality of life (including the NRPPs); Competitiveness, prosperity and Security (including European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon); and Global Europe by about 10% compared to the Commission’s proposal.
A firm rejection of the “à la carte approach” for Member States One of Parliament’s strongest political messages is its opposition to the Commission’s approach of “one plan per Member State”, warning it risks renationalising EU policies, undermining the European dimension of spending, creating competition between beneficiaries, and weakening subsidiarity and multilevel governance.
Ring-fenced funding for cohesion and social priorities Parliament calls for strong, clearly distinct and adequate funding for cohesion policy, the European Social Fund (ESF+), and other long-standing policies, and argues that “non-ringfenced” amounts under NRPPs should be fully allocated to provide predictability for beneficiaries. It also stresses cohesion policy’s treaty basis and calls for a dedicated and robust envelope for cohesion funds. However, one of the great omissions in the report is the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, which is the only Cohesion Policy fund not clearly allocated a specific budget, putting at risk rural municipalities and regions relying on the rural development fund
Clearer governance: regional chapters and full involvement of local and regional governments The interim report calls for the establishment of regional chapters (in line with Member States’ institutional frameworks) and the full involvement of regional and local governments in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes, explicitly referencing shared management, partnership and multilevel governance. It also notes that shortcomings seen in the Recovery and Resilience Facility model were not sufficiently addressed in the NRPP proposal.
New priorities with territorial impact: housing, resilience and crisis response Parliament flags the housing affordability and availability crisis and calls for more strategic investment in decent, sustainable and affordable housing, energy and security across the different headings. It also pushes for stronger crisis-response instruments and a dedicated solidarity reserve for natural disasters.
“We welcome the European Parliament’s position—it sends a clear signal in support of multilevel governance and the role of local and regional governments in delivering EU investments,” said the CEMR spokesperson. “As negotiations move forward, it will be crucial for local and regional governments to actively support these priorities in their dialogue with national authorities.”
Just as the European Parliament was adopting its interim report, the CEMR Expert group on territorial cohesion met to exchange with Member States representatives on the state of play of MFF negotiations and on the ongoing process of elaboration of the National and Regional Partnership Plans. Discussions highlighted that this process is already underway in several Member States, with varying levels of involvement of local and regional government associations.
A new chapter for local democracy in the Western Balkans: launch of the LORAI programme
April 1st marked an important milestone for local democracy and European integration in the Western Balkans, as CEMR joined the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the European Commission, NALAS, and local government associations from across the region to officially launch LORAI – the Local Observatory on Reform Agendas Implementation.
The high‑level ceremony took place on the margins of the Congress’s 50th Session, bringing together European institutions, municipal leaders, experts and national associations to celebrate the beginning of a partnership designed to strengthen the role of local authorities in one of the most decisive phases of the region’s EU accession process.
A new observatory with a clear mission
LORAI is not just a new project. It is a new architecture of collaboration.
The programme, jointly established by the European Union and the Council of Europe, will support local authorities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to take a more active role in shaping, implementing, and monitoring their countries’ Reform Agendas under the EU’s Reform and Growth Facility.
For years, local and regional governments (LRGs) have been responsible for delivering essential services, infrastructure, and community support – yet they have been only marginally involved in monitoring the reforms that directly affect them. LORAI is designed to close that gap.
It aims to:
Empower municipalities to take part in designing, monitoring and evaluating reforms
Strengthen policy dialogue between all levels of government
Build local capacity to identify investment priorities for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034
Increase transparency and accountability through an open‑access dashboard tracking reform progress on the ground
Boost peer learning through regional exchanges, workshops, and reviews
These collective efforts will enable reforms to become not only national commitments, but tangible improvements in citizens’ daily lives.
A strong partnership to drive real results
LORAI will be implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, in partnership with:
NALAS – Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe
CEMR – Council of European Municipalities and Regions
Local government associations from each beneficiary country
This partnership brings unparalleled reach, expertise and legitimacy. Each organisation plays a vital role in ensuring reforms are not abstract commitments but concrete transformations at the local level.
Opening the launch event, Congress President Gunn Marit Helgesen highlighted the stakes:
“With its unparalleled convening power among local and regional authorities, this partnership will deliver real benefits for the citizens of the Western Balkans. Real change happens when local governments are active shapers of reform; we must enable their meaningful participation in the reform process.”
Representing the European Commission, Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at DG ENEST, added:
“For citizens, progress must be visible and tangible. LORAI plays a key role in empowering local authorities to turn reform commitments into concrete results. Today marks the beginning of a fruitful collaboration.”
CEMR Vice‑President Mélanie Lepoultier emphasised the importance of linking reforms to investment readiness:
“Our mission at CEMR is to transform local experiences into actionable policy. Through LORAI, we will support local officials to convert reforms into investment roadmaps aligned with the next Multiannual Financial Framework and foster meaningful peer‑to‑peer exchanges.”
NALAS President Dubravko Bilić stressed the Observatory’s long‑term value:
“Sustainable progress requires tracking implementation where it matters most—at the local level. LORAI will ensure reforms deliver measurable and lasting results for citizens.”
Why LORAI matters
Reform Agendas represent some of the most strategic commitments Western Balkan governments have made on their path towards EU accession. Yet reforms can only succeed when local governments, those closest to the citizens, are active contributors, not bystanders.
LORAI is important because it brings:
1. Accountability, where reforms are felt the most
The open-access dashboard will provide communities, governments, and partners with transparent data on how reforms are progressing locally.
2. Stronger multilevel governance
The programme strengthens collaboration between national and local authorities, ensuring reforms are implemented realistically and sustainably.
3. Investment-ready local priorities
LRGs will be better equipped to shape priorities for future EU funding, especially in the next MFF (2028–2034).
4. A regional ecosystem of learning
Peer exchanges, workshops, and reviews will allow governments from Western Balkan countries to learn from each other, share solutions, and amplify impact.
For CEMR, this programme is fully aligned with our mission:
To ensure that Europe’s local and regional governments are empowered, heard, and equipped to shape the future of their communities.
Looking ahead
With a dedicated budget of €2,222,222 for its first two years and a duration running from March 2026 to February 2028 (with the possibility of extension), LORAI is set to become a cornerstone for stronger governance, better reforms, and deeper European integration in the Western Balkans countries.
