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Impact community Cohesion47

GRIFFON Axelle
In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Governance, Governance, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Local finances, Local finances, Press, Publications

State ofplay – energy union

Energy Transition - News

Becoming More Energy Efficient: CEMR’s Key Messages for the EU’s Legislative Review on Energy

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As the European Union prepares to revise its energy legislation, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is calling on the EU and national governments to place local and regional authorities at the heart of the energy transition.

Cities and regions across Europe are already taking bold steps to become more energy-efficient, reduce emissions, and build climate-resilient communities. But to succeed, they need enabling legislation, access to funding, and recognition of their existing efforts. The forthcoming reviews of the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, and the Renewable Energy Directive are key opportunities to strengthen local involvement and accelerate the green transition.

Four Key Messages from CEMR

1. Governance: Empower Local and Regional Authorities

CEMR urges EU institutions to embrace a shift towards inclusive, multi-level governance. Local and regional governments are no longer just implementers, they are now co-drivers of the energy transition. The EU must ensure that subnational authorities are directly involved in preparing and implementing national energy and climate plans. A bottom-up approach is not only more democratic but also more effective in engaging citizens and delivering tangible results on the ground.

Many local governments have already developed Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans through initiatives like the Covenant of Mayors. These efforts show that local leadership is essential to reaching EU targets for 2030, including a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 27% share of renewable energy.

2. Regulation: Promote Flexibility and Policy Integration

CEMR advocates for flexible regulations that acknowledge the diverse realities across Europe. While energy efficiency goals are shared, the path to achieving them must be adaptable to local contexts. The principle of subsidiarity must guide legislation, allowing local governments to balance economic, social, and environmental priorities.

Local authorities must also retain discretion in public procurement, especially when it comes to energy performance requirements. Instead of imposing rigid obligations, the EU should provide guidance and incentives, for instance, by supporting the use of life-cycle costing and encouraging innovation in decentralised energy systems.

3. Financing: Ensure Access to Funding

Ambitious targets demand robust financial support. Cities and regions need accessible and flexible financing tools to renovate public buildings, deploy renewables, and invest in low-carbon infrastructure. CEMR stresses the importance of tailored financial mechanisms, such as off-balance sheet financing and favourable loans supported by the European Investment Bank or Member States.

The EU must also address legal and procedural barriers to joint procurement and bundled investments across municipalities. Initiatives like the CITYnvest project show how collaboration can unlock innovative financing and accelerate energy-efficient renovation.

4. International Cooperation: Strengthen Global Partnerships

CEMR, together with its PLATFORMA partners, champions international cooperation among local and regional authorities. Building on the legacy of strong local governance, these partnerships support low-carbon development worldwide.

CEMR also plays an active role in global advocacy through forums like the UNFCCC COPs and Habitat summits. The international community is increasingly recognising the value of local action, and European cities are leading the way.

Conclusion

CEMR stands ready to support the EU’s energy transition, but success hinges on empowering local and regional governments. With the right governance, flexible regulation, accessible financing, and global collaboration, the EU can deliver a just, effective, and locally driven pathway to a sustainable energy future.

Read the position paper here

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GAUDRON Marine
In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Press, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Simplifying EU funds for all 

Cohesion Policy - News 2023

Clearer rules and better access to cohesion funding 

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Accessing EU funding shouldn’t be complicated and yet, for many local and regional governments, navigating the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) remains a challenge. In its 2016 position paper, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) outlines concrete proposals to simplify EU cohesion funding, making it easier and more efficient for local authorities and other beneficiaries to participate. 

Key recommendations 

CEMR’s proposals focus on five main priorities: 

  1. Harmonising rules across funds 
    The current system is fragmented, with different rules for different funds and ministries. CEMR advocates for common procedures and a “one-stop-shop” that simplifies access, coordination, and application processes, particularly for multi-fund programmes. 
  1. More flexibility at the national and local levels 
    Local needs vary, but EU rules often limit how funds can be used. CEMR urges the EU to give Member States and local authorities greater flexibility to set priorities, so that funding can better address real challenges like broadband access, transport, and local infrastructure. 
  1. Streamlining controls and audits 
    Excessive checks and overlapping audits discourage smaller beneficiaries. CEMR calls for a more proportionate and risk-based approach, better coordination among audit bodies, and a clear distinction between fraud and honest mistakes. 
  1. Results-based funding 
    Rather than focusing on paperwork and compliance, funding should reward measurable outcomes. CEMR supports instruments like Joint Action Plans and Integrated Territorial Investments (ITIs), though they are still underused due to late or unclear guidance. 
  1. Clearer, timely guidance 
    Technical guidance should be available early in the process and in all EU languages. This helps local and regional stakeholders plan ahead and ensures they are not penalised by last-minute rule changes. 

Building trust through better governance 

At its core, CEMR’s message is about trust and responsibility. Local authorities should be empowered to manage funding within clear frameworks, with a focus on results, not red tape. Simplifying EU funds is not just about efficiency; it’s about ensuring that local communities can truly benefit from European solidarity. 

CEMR remains committed to working with EU institutions and Member States to make simplification a reality on the ground. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Press, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

A smarter EU urban agenda

Head Banner - RFSC

Simplification, coordination and local leadership for better urban policy

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As cities and towns face rising challenges, from ageing populations to climate adaptation, the EU Urban Agenda must evolve to support them effectively. In its 2015 position paper, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) sets out key proposals to make the Urban Agenda a useful and inclusive tool for all local governments, regardless of size or geography.

What’s needed for real impact?

1. A clear roadmap with local voices at the table
An EU Urban Agenda should not be a top-down project. It must be developed in partnership with local governments and their associations, with a well-defined timeline and concrete actions.

2. Territorial impact across all policies
Policies across all EU institutions, not just DG REGIO, should consider local impacts. A strong territorial dimension in EU policymaking can ensure smarter regulation with less administrative burden.

3. Recognising cities of all sizes
Urban policy should reflect the reality of Europe’s diverse territories, including small and medium-sized towns and functional areas, not just major cities.

4. Easier access to EU funds
More streamlined, locally managed funding for urban development will empower municipalities to lead the changes they are best placed to deliver.

5. Innovation without rigid standards
While innovation is key, any urban indicators (e.g. for “smart cities”) should remain voluntary, flexible, and designed with local input, not imposed through rigid benchmarks.

Towards an inclusive global agenda

CEMR also calls for stronger involvement of local authorities in shaping the EU’s input into international processes, including the Habitat III conference and the global New Urban Agenda. Cities and towns are where global challenges meet real-world solutions, and local voices must shape the global conversation.

Read the position paper here

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GAUDRON Marine
In Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Press, Publications, Territorial development, Territorial development

Towards a practical urban agenda

Supporting local action through partnership, flexibility, and smarter EU policy

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As Europe’s cities and towns face growing challenges, climate change, demographic shifts, and rising inequalities, an EU Urban Agenda can help better connect European policies to realities on the ground. But for it to succeed, it must be built with local and regional governments at its core. 

In 2015, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) outlined key principles to guide this agenda: partnership across all levels of government, flexible tools for diverse local contexts, and a shift toward policies that empower action rather than add complexity. 

What an effective EU Urban Agenda should include: 

  • Real partnership with local authorities 
    Local and regional governments must help shape EU policies and programmes that affect them. A working method, like the “partnership principle” used in cohesion policy, should apply across all relevant EU initiatives. 
  • Territorial impact assessments 
    EU policies should be tested for their effects on local areas before they are adopted. This helps ensure relevance and reduces administrative burden. 
  • A broad, inclusive definition of “urban” 
    The Agenda must reflect Europe’s diversity. It should apply to small towns, medium-sized municipalities, and functional urban areas, not just large cities. 
  • Better access to funding and simpler frameworks 
    Urban development tools should be easier to navigate. Local governments must retain flexibility to act based on their needs, not top-down templates. 
  • Space for innovation, without rigid standards 
    Cities should be encouraged to innovate through voluntary tools like the Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities or the Smart Cities and Communities Initiative, while avoiding binding indicators or labels. 

Aligning with global goals 

CEMR also highlights the importance of involving local authorities in shaping Europe’s contribution to global urban strategies, such as the UN’s Habitat III and the Sustainable Development Goals. Local governments are closest to citizens and best placed to deliver results on the ground. 

Moving from vision to action 

CEMR welcomed steps by the EU presidencies in 2015–2016, including pilot initiatives and declarations recognising the role of small and medium-sized cities. But to make the Urban Agenda real, the EU must ensure that cities and towns are partners, not just stakeholders and that policies support, rather than complicate, their work. 

Read the declaration here 

For more information, contact: 

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

TTIP: protect local autonomy

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CEMR warns trade deal must not undermine public services or local self-government

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As negotiations progress on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) urges the European Commission to ensure that any final agreement fully respects the autonomy of local and regional governments across Europe. 

While recognising the potential economic benefits of TTIP, CEMR underlines that free trade must not come at the expense of democratic governance, public service quality, or citizens’ rights. The organisation stresses that local and regional authorities (LRAs) must retain the freedom to shape and deliver public services tailored to their communities’ needs. 

Safeguarding Public Services 

CEMR calls for a clear, horizontal exemption of all public services from TTIP. Ambiguous definitions such as “public utilities” or “services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority” are inadequate and leave room for legal uncertainty. CEMR strongly opposes “standstill” and “ratchet” clauses that would make liberalisation irreversible, limiting future political choices at the local level. 

Local governments must remain free to organise, finance, and deliver services such as water, energy, transport, health and social care. These services are essential to social cohesion and territorial equality, and their regulation must not be constrained by trade rules designed for commercial markets. 

Rejecting Investor Privileges 

CEMR expresses deep concern over the inclusion of Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. Such provisions would allow corporations to sue public authorities outside national courts, threatening democratic decision-making and the general interest. In stable democracies like the EU and the US, robust national legal systems already offer sufficient protection for investors. 

Regulatory Cooperation and Standards 

While regulatory cooperation can reduce trade barriers, CEMR insists it must not lead to a lowering of European standards in areas such as environmental protection, health, safety, labour rights or data privacy. Instead, TTIP should provide opportunities to raise standards on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Moreover, local and regional authorities must maintain the right to set stricter rules where justified by the public interest. 

Transparency and Democratic Accountability 

CEMR criticises the lack of transparency in TTIP negotiations and the limited involvement of local authorities. As the agreement would have far-reaching implications for subnational governance, LRAs and their national associations must be meaningfully involved in the process, not merely consulted post-factum. 

CEMR calls for regular dialogue between EU negotiators and local governments, and for national parliaments and the European Parliament to have a real say in shaping the agreement. 

“Trade must never override democracy. Local authorities are not just economic actors – they are democratically elected institutions with a duty to serve the public good. TTIP must reflect that.” 
— Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

GRIFFON Axelle
In Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Press, Publications, Sustainable mobility, Sustainable mobility, Territorial development

Smart and sustainable transport 

Mobility - News Section

Empowering municipalities to shape Europe’s mobility future 

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As the EU reviews its 2011 White Paper on Transport, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) highlights one key message: local and regional governments are essential partners in delivering a competitive and sustainable European transport system. 

Key messages: 

  • Mobility is local – and diverse 
    Transport challenges and solutions often begin at the local level. But EU transport policy focuses too narrowly on urban centres. Rural, remote, mountainous, and island regions also need tailored support to ensure territorial cohesion. 
  • One-size-fits-all won’t work 
    Europe’s regions vary widely. EU goals must allow flexibility, especially for smaller municipalities, to adapt to their specific geographic, economic, and social conditions. 
  • EU action should add value, not burden 
    New initiatives must be based on solid evidence and real local benefit. More legislation is not the answer. Instead, local governments need support through guidance, training, financial tools, and sharing of good practices. 
  • “Soft targets” allow for smart solutions 
    Instead of rigid rules, the EU should promote voluntary targets, like increasing clean mobility or public transport use and leave room for local innovation. 
  • Invest in public transport and clean mobility 
    Cities need better access to EU investment for expanding sustainable public transport, encouraging cleaner vehicles, and supporting new technologies. 
  • Think beyond city borders 
    Integrated transport doesn’t stop at city limits. Cooperation between local and regional authorities is vital, especially for cross-border mobility and shared services. 
  • Policy coherence is a must 
    EU transport goals must align with other areas like energy, environment, digitalisation, and regional development. More coordination across EU institutions is needed to ensure a consistent and effective approach. 

What local governments need from the EU: 

  • No more red tape, just clear, flexible frameworks 
  • Better access to funding and R&D support 
  • Inclusion in decision-making and expert groups 
  • Support for cleaner vehicles and alternative fuels 
  • Help with digital tools and open data for smart mobility 

Conclusion: 
Local governments are not just users of transport policy; they are builders of mobility solutions. If the EU wants to meet its transport and climate goals, it must work with local and regional authorities, not around them. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

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