Skip to main content
search

Publications170

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

Local Alliance calls to put cities at the heart of Europe’s climate plans

Local Alliance news

Local Alliance calls for a governance overhaul to put cities at the heart of Europe’s climate plans

408 words
2–3 minutes
Read full position paper

In a new position paper, the Local Alliance – a coalition of CEMR, ACR+, Climate Alliance, Energy Cities, Eurocities, FEDARENE, ICLEI Europe, and POLIS – calls on the EU to seize the revision of the Governance Regulation to make National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) truly implementable, investable, and grounded in local realities. 

Cities, towns and regions across Europe are already acting — renovating buildings, deploying renewables, transforming mobility systems. Yet the EU’s climate planning framework has not caught up. National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) continue to be drafted largely without the involvement of the local and regional governments that will ultimately deliver them. 

The revision of the Governance Regulation, expected from the European Commission in the last quarter of 2026, is therefore a critical opportunity — one the Local Alliance is determined not to miss. 

A structural disconnect 

A wealth of local data, investment pipelines and climate plans already exists across Europe — from Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans to Climate City Contracts and local heating strategies. Yet this territorial knowledge rarely feeds into NECPs, creating duplication, fragmentation and missed investment opportunities.  

Meanwhile, the multi-level dialogues already required under Article 11 of the current Regulation have largely remained disconnected from real implementation decisions or remained tick-the-box level only. 

The result is a dangerous two-speed dynamic: high ambition at European and national levels, too little attention to what happens on the ground. 

The Local Alliance’s answer: connect what already exists 

The position paper calls for the revised Regulation to be built around four mutually reinforcing elements:  

  1. a permanent multi-level dialogue platform in each Member State to align all levels of government around NECP preparation and monitoring, taking into account national governance structures and needs;  
  1. a territorial chapter in each NECP drawing on existing local plans to show where and how national objectives will be delivered;  
  1. territorially informed sectoral pathways linking national targets across buildings, transport, heating, renewable energy, and circular economy with the local realities that determine whether delivery is actually possible; 
  1. and investment strategies that take account of local investment and capacity needs. 

This is not a call for more bureaucracy. It is a call to make what already exists work together — reducing consultation fatigue, cutting administrative duplication, and turning NECPs from reporting exercises into genuine frameworks for implementation and investment. 

Read the full position paper here

For more information, contact:

GAUDRON Marine
In Housing, Housing, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Press, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

“Right to Stay” strategy

Right to Stay strategy news

CEMR calls for a place-based “Right to Stay” strategy

468 words
2–3 minutes
Read statement

In its contribution to the European Commission’s call for evidence on the upcoming “Right to Stay” strategy, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) calls for a politically ambitious, place-based framework that puts local and regional governments at the centre of Europe’s response to territorial, social, economic and demographic imbalances.

For CEMR, the right to stay means that people must be able to live, work and thrive in the place of their choice: whether in a city, a town or a rural area, without being forced away by lack of public services, economic opportunity, poor connectivity or rising living costs.

This is not just a matter of territorial cohesion. It is also a question of fairness, democracy and trust in the European project. If the EU wants to respond to growing territorial inequalities, it must start by investing in the places people call home and by recognising the governments closest to citizens as strategic partners.

In its response, CEMR underlines that there can be no right to stay without access to services, housing and opportunity. Across Europe, too many territories still face shortages in healthcare, education, mobility, childcare, energy and digital infrastructure. At the same time, rising housing costs are pushing people out of cities, while many rural and shrinking areas continue to suffer from depopulation and underinvestment.

CEMR therefore calls on the EU to strengthen support for services of general interest, affordable housing and integrated territorial development. It also stresses the need to create enabling conditions for local economic opportunities in every territory, including through better transport and digital connectivity, support for entrepreneurship, and action to tackle labour shortages in key local public services.

CEMR also highlights the growing importance of climate resilience, sustainable mobility and local energy production for territorial attractiveness and energy security. Investments in adaptation, renewable energy and accessible transport must therefore be part of any credible Right to Stay agenda.

For CEMR, Cohesion Policy must be the main delivery tool of the future strategy. In the next EU budget, the Right to Stay should be recognised as a clear strategic objective, backed by strong funding, integrated territorial instruments and genuine partnership with local and regional governments in the design of national and regional plans.

CEMR also calls for the Right to Stay to be embedded in EU governance, including through the European Semester and stronger territorial impact assessments. Europe cannot continue to shape policies for territories without systematically involving the authorities responsible for delivering them.

The message is clear: the right to stay will only be real if the EU gives territories the means to remain attractive, affordable, connected and resilient. That requires political ambition, long-term investment and a genuine multilevel partnership with local and regional governments.

For more information, contact:

BENNIS Hamza
In Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Press, Public services, Public services, Publications

Statement on public procurement

Public procurement services news

Call on European institutions to safeguard public-public cooperation and in-house provision in the Revision of the Public Procurement Directives 

313 words
1–2 minutes
Read statement

Public-public cooperation and in-house provision are essential tools enabling local and regional governments to organise, deliver, and manage public services directly — whether through cooperation with other public authorities or through entities under their control — without resorting to external operators.  

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) released a statement in which it expresses its strong opposition to calls and proposals that further restrict public-public cooperation and in-house provision in view of the upcoming Revision of the EU Public Procurement Directives.  

In this new statement, CEMR argues that public-public cooperation and in-house provision are firmly grounded in the EU Treaties, the Public Procurement Directives, and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Local and regional governments must retain the freedom to choose the delivery model that best serves their communities — including direct provision and cooperation with other public authorities.  

CEMR also takes aim at the notion that public-public cooperation or in-house provision harms competition. There is no evidence to support that claim; if anything, these models can improve efficiency, support investment, and strengthen essential public services for citizens.  

Additionally, at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, cybersecurity risks, and growing pressure on public services, local authorities cannot afford to lose the flexibility to organise critical services in-house or through trusted public partnerships.  

CEMR calls to the European institutions for greater legal certainty — not further restriction — in the revision of Article 12 of the Public Procurement Directive, while safeguarding the right of local and regional governments to organise public services according to local needs and democratic choices.  

To complement this information, you can also read here CEMR’s position paper setting out what local and regional governments need from the revision of the 2014 Public Procurement Directives. 

For more information, contact:

BENNIS Hamza
In Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Press, Public services, Publications

Reaction to the EU procurement rules

Public Procurement news

CEMR calls for a simpler, fairer revision of the EU public procurement directives, putting local realities at the centre of the reform

Read full position paper here
526 words
2–3 minutes

Local and regional governments (LRGs) are Europe’s largest public investors, spending more than €3 trillion a year through procurement. From care services to construction, from digital tools to energy infrastructure, every euro spent through public contracts has a direct impact on citizens’ daily lives. Yet the rules governing how LRGs buy are growing increasingly fragmented, complex, and out of sync with local realities.

As the European Commission prepares to revise the 2014 Public Procurement Directives, CEMR has adopted a position paper setting out what LRGs need from the reform. The message is clear: the revision must prioritise simplicity, flexibility, and subsidiarity instead of adding new layers of mandatory obligations to already overstretched towns, cities and regions.

A flexible framework that works for all

Most LRGs in Europe are small, operating with limited legal, technical, and administrative capacity. The current framework, scattered across more than 60 EU sectoral legislative acts, was not designed with them in mind. CEMR calls for a directive-based approach that preserves flexibility, and for EU-level clauses on environmental, social, and innovation considerations to remain voluntary. A comprehensive review mechanism should consolidate procurement obligations across sectoral legislation to eliminate contradictions and reduce the burden on contracting authorities.

Higher thresholds, fewer unnecessary procedures

EU procurement thresholds have not been changed in over a decade, despite significant inflation and rising costs. As a result, an ever-growing number of public purchases are now subject to full EU-level procedures, despite no real cross-border interest. Indeed, direct cross-border procurement accounts for just around 2% of all contract awards. CEMR calls for a substantial increase in thresholds, in line with cumulative inflation since 2014, alongside an automatic indexation mechanism to prevent the same problem from recurring.

Made-in-Europe and strategic goals must not come at local cost

CEMR supports the Commission’s broader ambitions on European competitiveness and strategic autonomy, goals that matter equally to LRGs who depend on resilient supply chains. However, a “Made in Europe” approach will significantly increase costs for contracting authorities if applied broadly. LRGs must not be penalised when EU supply is unavailable and must not be responsible for verifying complex supply chain origin documentation. That responsibility should lie with economic operators, supported by EU-level certification.

Protecting public-public cooperation and in-house provisions

LRGs regularly collaborate across boundaries to pool resources and deliver services more efficiently, especially in rural or low-capacity areas. Yet, Article 12 of the current directive remains too restrictive and unclear, creating legal uncertainty for many legitimate forms of public-public cooperation and in-house arrangements. CEMR therefore calls for a broader and clearer exemption for genuine cooperation between public authorities, and for in-house procurement to be protected from market-oriented interpretations, allowing LRGs to retain the democratic discretion to organise and deliver public services in the way that best serves their communities.

CEMR will continue to engage actively with the European institutions throughout the revision process to ensure that the voices of local and regional governments shape the outcome of this crucial reform.

Read our latest statement on our position paper here

For more information, contact:

BORDELOT Federica
In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Press, Publications

EU budget political declaration

Leaders Summit Finland 2026

CEMR local leaders adopt a political declaration in support of an EU budget that works for every territory

Read the declaration

Gathered in Rovaniemi on 5 June, local leaders call on the EU’s Heads of State and Government to include the European Parliament’s EU budget recommendations on multilevel governance, territorial delivery and predictable funding into their negotiations with the Council

Local leaders of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) Policy Committee have adopted a political declaration calling on EU Heads of State and Government to incorporate the European Parliament’s key recommendations on the next EU budget (2028-2034) into their negotiations in the European Council. The declaration, with 55 signatories, approved during the CEMR Leaders’ Summit in Rovaniemi, comes at a crucial moment in the interinstitutional discussions on the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

By endorsing this declaration in support of an EU budget that works for every territory, CEMR members urge to ensure that the next long-term budget is fit for the EU ambition for cohesion, competitiveness and global partnership. Addressed to national leaders, the declaration makes the case for a budget that is place-based, predictable, and grounded in genuine multilevel governance.

A particularly significant timing

The declaration follows the European Parliament’s adoption of its interim report on the 2028–2034 EU budget on its plenary meeting of 28 April 2026 in which the Parliament set out its political priorities and will be the basis of negotiations with the Council.

As Member States meeting on 18-19 June Council will finalise their position, CEMR calls on them to take into consideration the position and proposals put forward by the European Parliament towards an EU budget that delivers competitiveness, cohesion, and trust across all territories.

Key asks of the political declaration

In practical terms, the declaration encourages Heads of State and Government to uphold the European Parliament’s key recommendations on multilevel governance, territorial delivery and predictable funding under the future National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP). It also calls for the continuation of territorial innovation and competitiveness tools, as well as stable and predictable support for innovation, scale-up and investment in towns, cities and regions under the future European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).

Local and regional governments are essential to turning EU priorities into concrete projects, services and investments on the ground. Among the main calls of the political declaration, it urges to preserve strong and clearly allocated funding for Cohesion Policy, which will secure key investments for economic, social and territorial cohesion in all regions.

It also insists that local and regional governments must be properly involved in the design and implementation of future NRPP.

The text further calls for the protection of integrated territorial and urban development tools, stronger administrative capacity for local and regional governments, and a more realistic approach to performance and delivery rules for long-term investment.

On competitiveness, the declaration argues that the future ECF must be accessible across all territories and better connected to local realities. It also calls on the EU to recognise local and regional governments as full partners in external action and development cooperation.

The overall message is clear: if the EU wants its next budget to produce tangible results for citizens, it must give local and regional governments the means and the role to make that happen.

CEMR advocacy campaign on the next EU budget

This action is part of CEMR’s wider campaign on the future EU budget. The campaign stresses that the decisions now being negotiated will shape the European Union’s ability to invest in people and places for the next decade. It also warns that greater flexibility in the new budget architecture must not come at the expense of safeguards for place-based investment, multilevel governance and predictable funding for towns, cities and regions.

For more information, contact:

THOMAS Carol
In European Observatory (ODELL), Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Local democracy, Press, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes

When local leaders are attacked

European Observatory for the Defence of Democracy at the Local Level

Why protecting local elected representatives is essential to safeguarding trust, stability and democratic resilience across Europe

Go to the Burgemeester magazine

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.

Register and learn more here: Defending Local Democracy Together webinar

For more information, please contact:

BORDELOT Federica
In About CEMR, About CEMR, Press, Publications

CEMR activity report 2025

Impact Community - Head banner

What was CEMR’s impact in 2025?

Activity report 2025

The year 2025 was a period of many activities and a great impact at the local and international levels.

We are truly grateful to our members, partners and donors for their continued trust, commitment and collaboration throughout that year.

Local and regional governments are essential to tackle Europe’s most urgent and day-to-day challenges, and through CEMR, we have worked together to ensure that European local voices remain present, heard, and influential in EU and global debates.

Check CEMR’s activity report 2025 below:

For more information, contact:

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

CEMR Housing Task Force

EU housing news 2026

Affordable, sustainable, livable: what local governments need from the EU on housing 

Read the full policy paper

The housing crisis has become one of the defining societal challenges of the 21st century, affecting communities across Europe: from major cities to rural areas, and reshaping social, economic, and demographic realities. Rising housing costs, homelessness, and chronic underinvestment are undermining equality, cohesion, and sustainability. Addressing this emergency requires integrated, place-based solutions that link housing with services, mobility, jobs, and quality of life. As frontline actors, local and regional governments must be recognised as key partners in Europe’s response, working with national and EU institutions to deliver affordable, sustainable, and inclusive homes for all.  
 
Europe’s housing crisis is felt most sharply where people live, work and study. On 9 April 2026, CEMR’s Housing Task Force brought together local and regional perspectives on how to measure affordability and how to respond to short‑term rentals and accelerate housing delivery.  

The discussion comes at a pivotal moment as the European Commission’s European Affordable Housing Plan has placed housing firmly on the EU agenda, and preparations are underway for an Affordable Housing Act aimed at supporting public authorities in addressing pressure in “areas under housing stress”, including through measures linked to short‑term rentals. With the European Parliament also intensifying its work on the housing crisis, the political momentum is clearly rising.  

Affordability beyond a single number 

A key takeaway following an exchange with Sandra Di Biaggio, Research and Policy Manager at ESPON for a presentation on the project Housing4All, was that affordability is multidimensional. It cannot be reduced to prices alone: income and residual income matter, but so do energy bills, mobility costs, access to services and housing quality. Participants also stressed that data gaps, including limited harmonised income data at the local level, can make comparisons difficult, reinforcing the need for place‑based analysis.  

Tailor-made policy mixes 

The Task Force discussion underlined that no single instrument can fix affordability everywhere. Housing pressures vary widely from urbanisation and tourism to student demand and financialisation, alongside supply constraints such as rising costs and construction capacity. This calls for policy mixes adapted to local realities, where EU action adds value by enabling conditions (investment, legal clarity, better data, smart simplification) rather than prescribing uniform solutions.  

Short‑term rentals and local autonomy 

On short‑term rentals, participants highlighted the need for legal certainty for local governments when adopting policies on short-term rentals,  without undermining local competence. Overly rigid definitions in the norm risk limiting local capacity to act, especially if rules apply only within narrowly defined “stress areas”. At the same time, better enforcement of existing tools and clearer guidance on what is compatible with EU law could strengthen local action.  

Building faster and better. Finally, the Task Force discussed how industrialisation, standardisation and digitalisation in construction, alongside renovation, circularity and energy performance, could speed up delivery while supporting Europe’s climate objectives.  

CEMR will continue to bring local and regional perspectives into the EU debate as work progresses towards the Affordable Housing Act (expected for the end of 2026).  

Learn more about the CEMR position on Housing

For more information, please contact:  

SKAZLIC Ivana
In Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Mindcraft, Mindcraft, Press, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes, Publications

Country profile – #4 Belgium 

Brussels city image

Country Profile on decentralised development cooperation: the case of Belgium

Read full study here

The country profiles offer a short 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. 

Based on the study, the Belgian framework for Decentralised Development Cooperation (DDC) is characterised by:

1) Municipal associations are central to DDC in Belgium. Brulocalis, Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG), and the Union of Cities and Municipalities of Wallonia (UVCW) act as key intermediaries in coordinating funded programmes and serving as the primary source of support and guidance for municipalities.

2) Focus on long-term cooperation with selected partners. Sustained partnerships help to ensure the effectiveness and added value of cooperation. There is a prioritisation of the least developed countries and fragile contexts.

3) Awareness-raising of Belgian citizens about international solidarity. Belgian actors, in partnership with NGOs, actively contribute to informing citizens about development cooperation-related topics through awareness-raising and education activities at home.

This article is part of a series of 7 Country Profiles examining DDC frameworks across Europe. The fifth edition, focusing on France, will be published in July. Stay tuned!

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

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

CEMR encourages Belgian authorities to strengthen the role of Local and Regional Governments in development policy, not only as implementers, but also as strategic partners helping shape a more resilient, inclusive and effective development agenda.

This publication 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:

GRIFFON Axelle
In Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Press, Publications, Water, Water

Protecting Europe’s water future

Water Management - Best Practices

CEMR calls for the timely implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD)

Read more

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) call on Members of the European Parliament to support the timely and effective implementation of the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD).

The Directive introduces a new treatment step for the removal of micropollutants from urban wastewater, a major requirement to protect public health and the environment. Its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme ensures that the contributors to these pollutants cover at least 80% of the related treatment costs.

For local and regional governments, this mechanism is crucial to uphold the polluter-pays principle and to avoid placing the financial burden of quaternary treatment on users. The Directive already includes safeguards to address concerns around medicine affordability, supply and accessibility, as well as mechanisms for monitoring and adjustment once implementation begins.

CEMR firmly opposes proposals to suspend or delay the EPR provisions. Such a suspension would undermine long-term investment planning in wastewater infrastructure, increase uncertainty, and put essential public services at risk.

Local and regional authorities are already preparing investments to meet the Directive’s requirements. A stable regulatory environment is essential to safeguard public health, environmental protection, and Europe’s long-term competitiveness.

CEMR calls on EU decision-makers to move forward with implementation as agreed and to use the Directive’s existing review mechanisms to make any necessary adjustments based on data collected during the implementation process.

Learn more about CEMR action on water protection:

CEMR and partners’ joint call to MEPs to swiftly implement the recast of UWWTD

Protecting Clean Water

CEMR Policy paper on Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

For more information, contact:

Close Menu

About CCRE CEMR

1 Square de Meeûs
B – 1000 Bruxelles

T: + 32 2 511 74 77   Fax : + 32 2 511 09 49
E: info@ccre-cemr.org