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THOMAS Carol
In Governance, Governance, Housing, Housing, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Latest, Local finances, Local finances, Publications

CEMR TERRI Report 2026

Terri Report 2026 - Housing

TERRI 2026 report looks at how Europe’s territorial governance is changing and why it matters

644 words
3–4 minutes
READ FULL REPORT HERE

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has published the TERRI 2026 Report, its latest assessment of territorial governance and reform trends. Drawing on evidence from CEMR member associations, the report examines developments in territorial organisation, governance arrangements, local and regional responsibilities, inter-municipal cooperation, fiscal capacity and housing governance. The central finding of TERRI 2026 is that effective governance is no longer defined by how institutions are structured. This edition focused on housing challenges in Europe.

Governance change is happening in how systems work, not in their structures

Since the first TERRI report in 2021, the focus of reform has shifted away from redrawing boundaries and restructuring territories towards improving how governance works in practice. Across Europe, efforts are increasingly centred on strengthening administrative capacity, enhancing coordination between levels of government, and delivering better outcomes for citizens

Shared responsibilities and growing cooperation

The distribution of formal responsibilities has remained broadly stable across much of Europe, although respondents in several countries reported examples of recentralisation or growing national influence over local decision-making. Delivery, however, increasingly relies on shared arrangements between national, regional and local governments, so how responsibilities work in practice matters more than the centralised/decentralised divide.

Cooperation is now mainstream: more than four-fifths of responding countries reported inter-municipal or alternative arrangements, increasingly covering areas such as spatial planning, economic development, social services, investment coordination and resilience preparation.

Capacity and financing remain critical challenges

Respondents to CEMR’s survey repeatedly pointed to administrative expertise, workforce capability and organisational resources as key determining factors for implementation. Performance depends as much on delivery capability as on institutional design. Fiscal pressures remain a key challenge, with many respondents highlighting the difficulty of balancing growing responsibilities with adequate resources, investment needs, and predictable long-term funding.

[on page 46 in PDF]

Housing: a test case for territorial governance

Housing is putting governance systems across Europe to the test. Affordability pressures, housing shortages, ageing stock and sustainability requirements are testing the ability of governments at all levels to respond effectively. The report finds that no single governance model guarantees better outcomes; success depends on how governance arrangements, financing, local flexibility and implementation capacity work together.

 CEMR sets six policy messages

  1. Align responsibilities with resources. New or expanded responsibilities should come with sufficient, predictable funding: funding follows function.
  2. Put governance capacity at the centre of reform. Invest in skills, expertise, and institutional capability as a core part of reform.
  3. Promote multi-level governance based on partnership. Support European, national, regional and local governments in working together while respecting local autonomy, rather than pursuing centralisation or decentralisation for its own sake.
  4. Strengthen place-based approaches. Give local and regional governments the flexibility to adapt policies to local circumstances rather than imposing uniform solutions.
  5. Strengthen long-term capacity and fiscal sustainability. Support multi-annual financing, long-term investment planning, and greater fiscal predictability.
  6. Recognise housing as a strategic governance issue. Rather than promoting one model, strengthen the conditions for success: clear responsibilities, predictable financing, local flexibility, implementation capability and coordination across levels of government.

Towards better-functioning decentralisation

The report concludes that Europe does not need a single model of territorial governance. The challenge is not more or less decentralisation, but ensuring that arrangements support effective local self-government, policy delivery and democratic accountability. This also matters for the Sustainable Development Goals, many of which depend on local and regional governments turning objectives into results.

Successful policy outcomes depend on all tiers of government working together through governance arrangements that are capable, coordinated and responsive to territorial needs.

TERRI 2026 provides a timely snapshot of how these challenges are evolving across Europe, and CEMR will continue to work with its members and partners to ensure that local and regional perspectives help shape the governance solutions of tomorrow.

20261104 – 75th anniversary presentationDownload

For more information, contact:

SKAZLIC Ivana
In Impact community Society, Impact community Society, International cooperation, International cooperation, Latest, Mindcraft, Mindcraft, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes, Publications

Country profile – #5 France

Mindcraft - Country Profile France

Country Profile on decentralised development cooperation: the case of France

396 words
2–3 minutes
Read the publication

The country profiles offer a short informative overview of national models of (decentralised) development cooperation frameworks in selected EU Member States. The aim is to provide insights into specific mechanisms and modalities of analysed national frameworks and identify enabling factors as well as challenges related to practical implementation, focusing on the role and opportunities for local and regional governments and their associations.

The French framework for Decentralised Development Cooperation (DDC) is characterised by:

  1. A well-developed legal framework. French local and regional governments (LRGs) have a legally recognised competence to engage in international cooperation.  Besides their general budget, they can also dedicate up to 1% of their sectoral budgets for water and sanitation, energy, waste and transport to international cooperation in these sectors (“1% schemes”). French LRGs contribute to France’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) and need to report on their international development activities.
  2. A specific delegation supporting LRGs’ international engagement. Within the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Delegation for Local Authorities and Civil Society (DCTCIV) supports LRGs’ international engagement in various ways, including financially through calls for proposals, by providing advice and facilitating connections with French embassies and major international events.
  3. An extensive DDC ecosystem. Networks and associations support LRGs’ international engagement. Among them are Cités Unies France (CUF), the French Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AFCCRE) and the regional multi-stakeholder networks (RRMAs). They support LRGs through training, information, and coordination, and bring their feedback to national and international arenas.

This article is part of a series of 7 Country Profiles examining DDC frameworks across Europe. The sixth edition will focus on Sweden. Stay tuned!

Read the Country Profile of France, available in four languages:

You can find the rest of Mindcraft’s publications here.

CEMR encourages French authorities to keep investing in the networks and associations that support local and regional governments’ international engagement, to simplify administrative procedures, and to strengthen the European dimension of decentralised cooperation, so that LRGs of all sizes can fully contribute to a more resilient, inclusive and effective development agenda.

This publication is produced within the Bridging and Mapping Knowledge Gaps in Decentralised Cooperation (Mindcraft) project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

For more information, contact:

Leonie Kuhlmann
In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Latest, Publications

Ambitious post-2030 climate and energy framework

Climate and Energy framework - News

CEMR joins call for a robust and ambitious EU post-2030 climate and energy framework

324 words
1–2 minutes
READ THE FULL LETTER

Following the Environment Council on 12 October 2026 and ahead of the Energy Council on 29 October 2026, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) joined the call of the Coalition for Higher Ambition, an alliance of businesses, local and regional government networks and civil society organisations, in urging EU ministers to back a strong post-2030 climate and energy framework. 

After another summer of record heatwaves, drought and wildfires, the signatories stress that continuing the European Green Deal’s trajectory is both a climate imperative and a strategic investment. A transition built on energy efficiency, renewables and renewables-based electrification, they argue, strengthens Europe’s competitiveness and energy security, lowers and stabilises energy bills, and protects public health. 

The letter, addressed to the Irish EU Presidency and Member State ministers, calls for at least 90% net domestic emission reductions by 2040, with limited reliance on international credits. CEMR and other signatories warn that using up to 5% international credits would lock in only 85% domestic reductions, and also call for a credible EU Emission Trading System (ETS) that delivers real, predictable emissions cuts and a strong carbon price signal, with revenues prioritising energy efficiency, renewables and a just transition. 

The statement further urges ministers to maintain national climate targets, with priority given to gross emission reductions and separate targets for land-based and industrial carbon removals. Moreover, the signatories consider essential EU renewable energy and energy efficiency targets, backed by a strong Governance Regulation and a multilevel approach that links national plans with local and regional plans and investment needs. Finally, the letter asks for a bold 2028-34 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to close Europe’s decarbonisation and resilience investment gap. 

For local and regional governments, which implement climate policy on the ground, predictable targets and genuine multilevel governance are essential to deliver. CEMR will continue to advocate for these priorities as negotiations move forward. 

For more information, contact:

GRIFFON Axelle
In Climate, Climate, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Latest, Publications

Position Paper: Industrial Accelerator Act

Industrial Accelerator Act 2026

CEMR calls for an Industrial Accelerator Act that supports growth, jobs and local prosperity

530 words
2–3 minutes
Read the position paper

Europe’s industrial transformation will be delivered locally. Cities, towns and regions are investors, permitting authorities and public contractors, which also directly implement a significant share of European legislation and investment on the ground. 

In the policy paper “Localising EU Industrial Ambition”, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) sets out how the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), proposed by the European Commission in July 2026, can support growth, jobs and local prosperity. To succeed, the IAA must recognise local and regional governments not only as implementing authorities, but as strategic partners in shaping and delivering industrial development. 

Faster permitting, anchored in territorial realities 

CEMR supports streamlining permit-granting as it can help accelerate strategic industrial investments. Achieving this requires better coordination, built on existing governance systems, respecting the division of competences, and preserving legal certainty, environmental safeguards and public participation. Shorter procedural deadlines alone cannot resolve existing challenges such as fragmented procedures, limited administrative capacities or environmental constraints.  

Single access points can improve coordination if they build on existing systems and use interoperable digital tools. They must not transfer planning or permitting powers from local and regional governments without their agreement. Timelines should be proportionate and adaptable and should not come at the expense of environmental assessment and public participation. Early coordination between competent local and regional authorities and project applicants, alongside long-term planning for strategic industrial projects, is essential to identify bottlenecks and address them to avoid investment delays. 

Industrial acceleration areas: no designation without local involvement 

Local and regional governments are best placed to assess the opportunities and constraints of a given area. CEMR consider that they must be involved from the outset, with their agreement required where designation affects their territory and legal competences, such as spatial planning, land use or infrastructure. Enabling infrastructure and services must be backed with adequate financing, rather than shifted onto local and regional budgets. 

A targeted and proportionate “Made in Europe” approach 

CEMR recognises the strategic objective behind the “Made in Europe” provisions. However, mandatory origin requirements in public procurement could significantly increase costs for authorities and, ultimately, for citizens if applied broadly. 

CEMR supports a targeted application in genuinely strategic sectors, based on transparent criteria, regular review and practical exemptions to safeguard affordability and public services continuity. Contracting authorities should not have to verify complex supply chains. Responsibility for demonstrating compliance must stay with economic operators, supported by an EU-wide certification system. CEMR also proposes lowering the cost-difference threshold for considering European supply disproportionately expensive, from 25% to 10%, giving public contractors more flexibility to manage operational costs.

Coherence and resources for implementation 

The IAA’s procurement provisions should be explicitly aligned with the future Public Procurement Act, to avoid overlapping rules. New responsibilities must also come with the means to deliver them. The European Commission estimates the IAA could add up to €8.92 million in annual administrative costs EU-wide. 

CEMR therefore calls for an assessment of the combined impact of streamlining initiatives on local and regional authorities, and for adequate financial, technical and administrative support, with particular attention to small and medium-sized municipalities. 

For more information, contact:

ROSSI Fabrizio
In Governance, Governance, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy, Local democracy, Publications

Statement on the arrest of Vahap Seçer 

Mersin Metropolitan Turkiye

CEMR denounces the arrest of Vahap Seçer, President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and CEMR Vice-President 

406 words
2–3 minutes
Read the statement

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is deeply concerned about the arrest of Vahap Seçer on 6 October 2026, Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT), and CEMR Vice-President. 

Mayor Seçer is the third President of UMT, CEMR’s member association in Türkiye, to be deprived of his liberty since the 2024 Turkish local elections. His arrest follows those of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, on 19 March 2025, and Zeydan Karalar, Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality, on 8 July 2025. 

These developments are part of a broader and deeply concerning trend. Since the 2024 local elections, more than 80 municipalities in Türkiye have had their mayors replaced, and over 30 mayors have been arrested. Among them is Sinem Dedetaş, Mayor of Üsküdar and a member of the CEMR Policy Committee, who was arrested in July 2026. Taken together, these events point to a continued erosion of local democracy in Türkiye, a trend CEMR has repeatedly raised concerns about. 

CEMR reiterates that local elected representatives must be able to carry out their duties freely and without undue interference and calls on the Turkish authorities to: 

  • Respect the democratic mandates entrusted to local elected representatives by citizens and uphold the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government; 
  • Release arrested elected representatives and allow them to resume their mandates; 
  • Ensure that UMT can operate freely and continue to be led by the representatives chosen by its members. 

CEMR also calls on European institutions and the wider international community to stand in solidarity with democratically elected local representatives in Türkiye and to raise these cases in their dialogue with the Turkish authorities. 

At a time when democracy is facing increasing pressure across Europe, protecting local self-government is more important than ever. CEMR will continue to follow developments closely and stands firmly alongside UMT and its members and partners in Türkiye. 

Related content:

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SKAZLIC Ivana
In Impact community Society, Impact community Society, International cooperation, International cooperation, Latest, Mindcraft, Mindcraft, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes, Publications

Decentralised Cooperation report #2

Decentralised Cooperation Mindcraft

Decentralised Development Cooperation Report #2: A European overview

372 words
2–3 minutes
Read the report

Following the first Decentralised Development Cooperation Report (DDC Report #1), this second Report (DDC Report #2) draws on the same Europe-wide survey to continue offering a pan-European overview of how local and regional governments (LRGs), their associations, and civil society actors engage in international cooperation. 

While DDC Report #1 presented a general overview of reported decentralised development cooperation (DDC), this second report digs deeper into the opportunities and challenges shaping decentralised cooperation and looks at the results that DDC partnerships aim to achieve. It also showcases a selection of DDC projects, offering illustrative examples of what effective partnerships and activities look like in practice. 

Where does Europe stand when it comes to DDC? 

The second DDC Report highlights: 

  1. Funding drives engagement, but limited capacities hold it back. Available funding and linguistic, cultural or historical ties (both 56.75%) are the top drivers of involvement in DDC. Yet, limited capacities (78.37%) and limited or inconsistent funding opportunities (54. 05%) appear as the biggest challenge for scaling up. 
  1. Similar goals in focus. Respondents most frequently selected the following three results that their DDC partnerships aim to achieve in both partner and home territories:  empowering local leaders and stakeholders, improving local public services, and strengthening local governance. Which one takes priority, though, differs depending on the territory in focus. 
  1. A lasting commitment. The majority of respondents (78.38%) plan to continue cooperating with their DDC partners, pointing out that decentralised cooperation is seen as a long-term investment rather than a one-off exercise. 

This report is part of a wider series of Mindcraft publications on decentralised development cooperation, including Country Profiles on DDC frameworks. You can find the rest of Mindcraft’s publications here. 

Read the full Mindcraft DDC Report #2, available in English, French, Spanish, and German.  

Discover Mindcraft DDC Report #1 here. 

CEMR encourages European and national authorities to strengthen the role of LRGs in development policy, not only as implementers, but also as strategic partners helping shape a more resilient, inclusive, and effective development agenda. 
This report is produced within the Bridging and Mapping Knowledge Gaps in Decentralised Cooperation (Mindcraft), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).  

For more information, contact: 

GAUDRON Marine
In Housing, Housing, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Publications

Reaction: Housing Simplification Act

Housing Simplification Act

CEMR calls for clearer, more coherent and flexible EU rules to help cities, towns and regions deliver affordable housing

852 words
4–5 minutes
Read CEMR’s full response

Europe urgently needs more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive housing. Yet cities, towns and regions working to deliver new homes increasingly face overlapping rules, lengthy procedures, legal uncertainty and limited investment capacity.

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) provided feedback on existing EU law impacting housing policies, especially at local level. In its response to the European Commission’s call for evidence on housing simplification, CEMR sets out how the European Union can remove unnecessary barriers while protecting essential social, environmental and democratic objectives.

Local and regional governments play a decisive role in housing through spatial planning, permitting, local services, infrastructure, and territorial development. They must therefore be fully involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of any future European housing simplification measures. EU action should support locally adapted solutions, respect subsidiarity and strengthen the capacity of towns, cities and regions to act, not replace local decision-making with new layers of European requirements.

Simplification, not deregulation

Many EU rules affecting housing pursue legitimate public-interest objectives. Problems arise when requirements from different policy areas overlap, follow incompatible timelines, or impose disproportionate administrative burdens.

Housing projects can be affected simultaneously by procurement, state aid, fiscal, energy, environmental, and construction rules. Their combined effect can increase costs, delay investment, and require local governments to seek expensive external legal or technical expertise.

CEMR is therefore calling for a more coherent regulatory framework, with better-aligned definitions, datasets, deadlines, and digital systems. Simplification should focus on removing duplication and resolving conflicts between rules, while maintaining environmental protection, building quality, social safeguards, and meaningful public participation.

Unlock local investment in affordable housing

Towns, cities and regions cannot respond to housing shortages if public investment continues to be constrained by fiscal and state aid rules that do not adequately recognise the long-term value of affordable housing.

CEMR calls for affordable and energy-efficient housing expenditure to be treated as long-term public investment rather than ordinary current spending. The state aid framework should also provide greater legal certainty and flexibility for municipal and public-interest housing projects.

In particular, procedures related to entrustment, overcompensation controls, and earmarking obligations should be made clearer and more proportionate. Local governments, including smaller towns, should be able to implement housing measures without routinely depending on costly external expertise.

Make public procurement faster and more proportionate

Public procurement rules are another significant source of delay and administrative cost. As construction prices rise, more housing projects fall within complex EU-wide procurement procedures, even where there is little realistic cross-border interest.

CEMR proposes higher procurement thresholds that better reflect current construction and service costs. Its response also calls for greater flexibility to negotiate directly with a contractor following an unsuccessful procedure and to modify contracts when circumstances change after an award.

A simpler and more flexible framework would reduce delays, lower compliance costs, and help local governments bring affordable housing projects forward more quickly.

Align energy, environmental and housing objectives

EU energy rules should better enable local energy sharing, the use of nearby renewable energy and residual heat, and more flexible allocation of grid capacity for projects serving a clear public interest.

Closely connected legislation, including rules on energy efficiency, renewable energy and building performance, should operate as a coherent whole. Rather than prescribing detailed administrative procedures, the EU should promote open standards, interoperable data, and digital permitting systems that can be adapted to national and local administrative structures.

Greater legal certainty is also needed in applying the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Nature Restoration Regulation. CEMR calls for clearer assessment of thresholds, proportionate procedures for low-risk projects, and more flexible approaches to environmental compensation. These changes should improve planning certainty without weakening biodiversity objectives.

Build the capacity to deliver and renovate

Regulatory reform alone will not solve Europe’s housing shortage. Higher productivity in construction and renovation is equally important.

CEMR calls for investment in skills, training, innovation and local administrative capacity, particularly in small and medium-sized municipalities. Better labour mobility and recognition of qualifications could help address workforce shortages, while greater harmonisation of construction standards could reduce fragmentation and support innovative, circular and climate-resilient building methods.

Europe must also look beyond new construction. Renovation, retrofitting and the adaptive reuse of vacant buildings can increase supply, revitalise neighbourhoods and reduce environmental impacts. Making these projects easier to finance, permit and implement should be a core part of the simplification agenda.

Put local and regional governments at the centre

Housing pressures differ sharply from one territory to another. They may be driven by tourism, demographic change, land scarcity, infrastructure gaps, construction costs, depopulation, or shortages of affordable and social housing. Aligned with CEMR’s reaction to the Affordable Housing Act, the definition and related rules for areas under housing stress should be revised.

There can therefore be no single regulatory shortcut that works everywhere. The EU should provide enabling conditions through investment, legal clarity, interoperable systems and smart simplification, while leaving local and regional governments the flexibility to develop solutions suited to their communities.

For more information, contact:

GAUDRON Marine
In Housing, Housing, Impact community Cohesion, Latest

Europe’s housing agenda must start locally  

Cities, towns and regions call for investment, smart simplification and local autonomy as Europe steps up its response to the housing crisis

791 words
3–5 minutes

Europe’s housing initiatives will only succeed if they reflect the realities faced by cities, towns, and regions. This was the central message from the latest meeting on 3 September of the CEMR Housing Task Force, which brought together participants from 12 national associations of local and regional governments, alongside representatives of the Irish government and the European Commission. 

During the meeting, CEMR Task Force members exchanged experiences from across Europe and discussed two major initiatives expected to shape the EU housing agenda: the forthcoming Affordable Housing Act and the Housing Simplification Package. The discussion enabled CEMR members to provide early feedback directly to EU policymakers and help prepare CEMR’s contribution to the European Commission’s ongoing call for evidence on housing simplification.

Housing: high on the European agenda 

The meeting opened with an exchange on the housing priorities of the Irish Presidency of the EU. Ireland plans to build on the political momentum generated by previous presidencies, with housing supply, affordability and homelessness among the priorities under discussion. Participants also heard about plans for stronger European cooperation, including a pan-European housing investment platform and the recently established European Housing Alliance, which aims to promote networking and the exchange of good practices. 

CEMR members stressed that local and regional governments must have a meaningful place in this emerging European architecture, including in ministerial discussions and stakeholder events. They also expressed strong interest in financial solutions capable of supporting long-term public and affordable housing investment, such as revolving funds.

Simplify delivery is not deregulation 

The European Commission’s forthcoming Housing Simplification Package, expected in the second quarter of 2027, offers an opportunity to remove unnecessary costs, delays, and inconsistencies affecting housing delivery. EU rules on procurement, State aid, environmental assessment, energy performance, taxation, and construction standards can all influence what local and regional governments are able to deliver. 

CEMR Task Force members nevertheless cautioned that simplification must not become deregulation. Environmental protection, building quality, and citizen participation remain essential. The objective should be to resolve conflicts and duplication between policies while preserving their public interest goals. 

Above all, participants called for respect for municipal autonomy over zoning, local taxation, permitting, and development plans. Definitions of affordability, housing stress, and priority groups must reflect local conditions rather than rely exclusively on uniform indicators or datasets that may not capture realities on the ground. 

Direct dialogue on the Affordable Housing Act 

In an exchange with Matthew Baldwin, Deputy Director-General at the European Commission and Head of its Housing Task Force, members discussed how the forthcoming Affordable Housing Act could provide greater legal clarity for public authorities in areas experiencing severe housing pressure. Members welcomed efforts to reduce legal uncertainty but stressed that Member States must allow the competent local and regional authorities to play a decisive role in assessing housing pressure and choosing the appropriate response. 

Short-term rentals are not the sole cause of Europe’s housing crisis. Nevertheless, in some territories, the combined effects of tourism, vacant homes, and insufficient supply can intensify local pressures. Cities need clear and workable legal tools to act where necessary, without new administrative burdens or EU interference in local decisions.

Different housing markets, shared barriers 

The meeting also featured a national roundtable, which showed the diversity of housing markets and challenges across Europe. Members reported ambitious construction targets, rising development costs, high mortgage rates, shortages of public funding, and difficulties financing renovation in lower-value areas. Severe pressure on municipal budgets is also limiting the ability of local governments to build and maintain public and social housing. 

Despite these differences, common priorities emerged: stable and accessible finance, stronger construction capacity, support for renovation, and policy frameworks that allow local authorities to respond to their own housing markets. 

Participants also highlighted the social dimensions of the crisis. Housing policies should better address homelessness and the needs of people at particular risk, including women experiencing domestic violence. Tackling skills shortages in construction, while opening the sector to a more diverse workforce, was identified as another important area for future work.

Turning local expertise into European influence 

The meeting’s conclusions will feed directly into CEMR’s response to the European Commission’s call for evidence on the Housing Simplification Package. By bringing together evidence from its members and maintaining a direct dialogue with the European Commission and Council presidencies, CEMR is ensuring that local and regional experience informs European decisions from their earliest stages. 

As the EU develops its housing agenda, CEMR will continue to advocate for a simple principle: local and regional governments must be trusted, financed, and fully involved if Europe wants to turn housing ambitions into affordable, sustainable, and inclusive homes. 

For more information, contact:

Anna Goclawska
In EU Covenant of Mayors, EU Covenant of Mayors, Latest

European Week of Regions and Cities 2026 

CEMR agenda for the European Week of Regions and Cities 

The European Week of Regions and Cities 2026 will take place from 12 to 14 October 2026. 

Organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the European Committee of the Regions, the European Week of Regions and Cities is the biggest annual Brussels-based event during which cities and regions showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union Cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance. 

If you are a CEMR member and plan to be in Brussels this week, please let us know by completing this form so we can contact you regarding visibility opportunities. 

CEMR events taking place during the European Week of Regions and Cities (outside the official programme) 

CEMR will organise, co-organise, or take part in several events during the Week, taking advantage of the presence of numerous local leaders in Brussels. 

Strengthening the territorial dimension in the future EU Cohesion Policy 

  • Date and time: 12 October 2026, 17:00 – 20:30 CEST  
  • Venue: CEMR, Square de Meeûs 1, Brussels 
  • Organisers: CEMR and the German Association for Housing, Urban and Spatial Development (DV), with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building 

This high-level Brussels event will bring together EU, national and local leaders to discuss the future of Cohesion Policy and its territorial dimension. It will focus on upcoming decisions on the EU budget and investment framework, while promoting balanced, place-based development across urban and rural areas and strengthening cooperation between key European stakeholders. 

Making the freedom to stay a reality: The role of services of general interest in strengthening territorial cohesion

  • Date and time: 14 October 2026, 16:00  – 17:30 CEST 
  • Venue: SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre (Mont des Arts), Brussels 

Coorganised with SGI Europe and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies, this policy debate will explore how people can be supported to live and work in the places they call home. It will focus on the role of essential services such as housing, transport, energy and care in making regions more attractive and resilient.

The following speaker will contribute to the session:

Ethem Pekin – Head of Unit, Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies

Bouke Arends – Chair of the Netherlands delegation in the European Committee of the Regions and Mayor of Westland (NL)

Nicola De Michelis – Director, European Commission DG REGIO

Maria Elena Nevado Del Campo – MEP, REGI Committee

Local authorities and their associations are invited to join the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay Coalition for the Freedom to Stay to support the SGI Network’s effort to make the freedom to stay a core European objective.

Cohesion Alliance event 

  • Date and time: 14 October 2026, 16:30 CEST 
  • Venue: SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre (Mont des Arts), Brussels  
  • Register here

The conference National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRP plans) with local and regional authorities at the centre: myth or reality? will be held on Wednesday 14 October 2026, from 16:00 to 17:30 at the European Committee of the Regions (Room JDE 52)

The Cohesion Alliance event will focus on the preparation phase of the NRP plans and discuss the extent to which local and regional authorities are being considered in the plans under development.

This event will be divided into 2 sessions:

First session: presentation of studies on the involvement of LRAs in NRP plans

Introduced by moderator (Martin Guillermo Ramírez, Secretary General of the European Association of European Border Regions)

Second session – Cohesion policy 2028-2034: debate with Cohesion Alliance partners 

Building on the evidence presented on the planned involvement of local and regional authorities within the NRP plans for the 2028-2034 period – and bearing in mind the ongoing interinstitutional debate on the post-2027 multiannual financial framework and the National and Regional Partnership Plans Fund Regulation (NRPP) – this session will involve a political discussion among Cohesion Alliance partners and contributors from the floor.

The event meeting will be opened by the Committee of the Regions President, Kata Tutto, with the participation of:

  • Christoph SCHNAUDIGEL, President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
  • Joris BENGEVOORD, President of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) 
  • Lilijana MADJAR, Vice-President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER)
  • Eugenio GIANI, Vice-President in charge of Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) 

The final words will be by Emil Boc and Vasco Alves Cordeiro, CoR NRPP co-rapporteur(s) (TBC)

The meeting is public and will be web streamed in EN/FR/IT/PL. 

Bridges of Trust Annual Gathering 

  • Date and time: 14 October 2026, 13:30 – 17:30 CEST 
  • Venue: CEMR, Square de Meeûs 1, Brussels 

The fourth edition of the Bridges of Trust Annual Gathering will bring together partners from Local and Regional Government Associations, networks, partner organisations and EU institutions to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation, and shape joint initiatives on international municipal cooperation between European and Ukrainian towns, cities and regions. 

Bridges of Trust Award Ceremony

  • Date and time: 14 October 2026, 18:00 – 22:30 CEST 
  • Venue: Les Ateliers des Tanneurs, Rue des Tanneurs 60A, Brussels
  • By invitation only

The Bridges of Trust Partnerships Award Ceremony will recognise five leading EU–Ukraine municipal partnerships as “Bridges of Trust Ambassadors” to celebrate their contribution to recovery, resilience, and EU integration at the local level. 

EU Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 

  • Date and time: 15 October 2026, 9:00 – 15:30 CEST 
  • Venue: Charlemagne Building, Rue de la Loi 170, Brussels 
  • Organiser: Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy Europe 

From high-level political dialogue to practical workshops and peer exchanges, the Ceremony will bring together hundreds of local and regional leaders from across Europe alongside high-level representatives of the European Commission and other key stakeholders to discuss how local action is central to achieving European objectives.  

CEMR Green Day 

  • Date and time: 15 – 16 October 2026 
  • Venue: CEMR, Square de Meeûs 1, Brussels 
  • Registration here

Day 1 – From climate ambition to green competitiveness, what does the evolving EU agenda mean for local and regional governments?  

Thursday 15 October | 16:00-17:45 CEST | Open event – In person at CEMR office 

Panel discussion with CEMR spokespersons and external speakers, audience exchange and short “Territorial Spotlights” from members showcasing concrete local and regional practices of connecting competitiveness to territorial green policies, including climate adaptation, energy, circular economy, decarbonisation and clean mobility.  

Day 2 – Defining CEMR green priorities for 2027 

Friday 16 October | 10:00–13:00 CEST | CEMR members only meeting – In person at CEMR office & online  

The second day will focus on CEMR’s internal work and priorities for the year ahead. Spokespersons and Expert Group Chairs will provide brief updates on key policy developments, ongoing CEMR activities, and expected priorities for 2027.  

Are you organising an event during the European Week of Regions and Cities 2026? 

CEMR members and partner associations are invited to share details of their own events taking place during the Week by completing this form, so we can help promote them and coordinate the wider CEMR agenda for the Week. 

For more information, contact:

SKAZLIC Ivana
In Governance, Governance, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, International cooperation, International cooperation, Latest, Mindcraft, Mindcraft, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes, Publications

EU Delegations study

Mindcraft study on EU Delegations 2026

EU Delegations engagement with local and regional governments: what will it take to make that cooperation more systematic?

441 words
2–3 minutes
Read the study

“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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Read the full publication, available in:

For more information, contact:

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