A stronger Europe is built locally: CEMR publishes its position paper on the EU Budget 2028–2034
As the EU prepares its next long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, CEMR calls for a clear message to EU institutions and Member States: Europe’s future strength depends on empowering its towns, cities and regions.
CEMR’s new position paper, A stronger Europe is built locally, sets out how the next EU budget can effectively support territorial cohesion, competitiveness, democracy, and resilience. In the paper, CEMR warns that while the Commission’s proposal slightly increases overall resources, it reorients priorities toward defence, security, and industrial competitiveness—often at the expense of cohesion and local development, the very pillars that bring the EU closest to its citizens.
Multilevel governance must be non-negotiable
The paper highlights a major risk of recentralisation: by granting Member States and the European Commission broader discretion in defining funding priorities, the proposal could marginalise local governments, particularly in countries with weaker multilevel governance structures.
CEMR urges the EU to reinforce partnership mechanisms across all programmes—especially within the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP), the European Semester, the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and the Global Gateway. Stable, well-resourced local and regional governments platforms are essential to tailor EU investments to realities on the ground.
Cohesion at the heart of Europe’s transformation
CEMR stresses that cohesion is a treaty-based objective and must remain central. The paper calls for:
- Mandatory regional and territorial chapters in all Partnership Plans
- Increased budget allocation for the single integrated funding instrument proposed by the EU Commission, “The Fund”
- A mandatory 30% earmark for sustainable territorial development, including 15% for urban development
- A safeguarding mechanism to protect local governments’ access to funds when national governments fail to meet conditionalities
- Strengthening ESF+ (European Social Fund) for cohesion, youth and inclusion
Without these guarantees, Europe’s green, digital, and social transitions risk leaving entire territories behind.
Competitiveness and connectivity must acknowledge territorial reality
While competitiveness is a top EU priority, CEMR notes that the Commission’s budget proposal overlooks the territorial dimension. Cohesion and competitiveness are two sides of the same coin, and local and regional governments’ role in driving local and regional economic development should be recognised.
CEMR paper also calls for biodiversity and nature restoration to become explicit priorities in the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and urges simpler access to ECF, Horizon Europe, and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)—especially for smaller municipalities. It also stresses the need to include urban mobility as a strategic CEF priority.
Democracy and enlargement: supporting the foundations of Europe
With rising polarisation, disinformation, and harassment of local politicians, the position paper urges the EU to strengthen local democracy, support civic participation, and fund democratic resilience—including Global Citizenship Education and support for local media.
On enlargement, CEMR calls for local and regional governments to play a central role in the accession process of candidate countries, backed by stronger capacity-building and dedicated resources.
Read the full position paper here
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Director – Policy & Impact
