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Position papers

GAUDRON Marine
In EU budget, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, 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, Latest, 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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BANOS DE GUISASOLA Eva
In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Latest, PLATFORMA, PLATFORMA, Publications

Local voices for climate at COP21 

Environment - News section

Municipalities and regions shaping COP21 success 

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In December 2015, the Paris Summit (COP21) became a milestone in global climate governance. For Europe’s municipalities and regions, represented by CEMR and PLATFORMA, it was the moment to demonstrate that climate action succeeds only when local and regional governments are part of the solution. By presenting clear demands, affirming shared values, and committing to concrete actions, local leaders positioned themselves as indispensable actors in the transition to low-carbon societies. 

Developing the Demands and Values 

Local and regional governments brought forward a set of concrete demands to ensure their recognition in climate governance. They called for: 

  • A structured EU dialogue to integrate the subnational dimension into the UNFCCC process. 
  • A formal seat at the COP negotiation table for municipalities, regions, and their associations. 
  • Stronger support for networks, enabling them to deliver unified positions and assist EU institutions. 
  • Mainstreaming climate across all EU and national policies, ensuring local perspectives are embedded from the outset. 
  • Recognition of green public procurement as a driver for innovation and CO₂ reduction. 
  • Links between COP outcomes, the SDGs, and Habitat III, ensuring consistency across global agendas. 
  • Adequate financing and research tools, including access to EU Structural and Investment Funds and international climate funds. 
  • Better EU regulation, with early recognition of local authorities in decision-making. 
  • Support for knowledge exchange at the subnational level in Europe and globally. 

Underlying these demands are shared values: confidence in local governments’ ability to deliver, support for the EU’s climate objectives, and the conviction that climate action is also an opportunity for green jobs and sustainable growth. 

Actions on the Ground 

Municipalities and regions also highlighted how they are already leading by example: 

  • Multi-actor governance: championing bottom-up approaches, engaging with all levels of government and stakeholders to tackle climate change collectively. 
  • Local leadership: through initiatives like the Covenant of Mayors and Mayors Adapt, thousands of cities have set ambitious emission-reduction goals. 
  • Networking for impact: collaborating across European and global networks to amplify messages and coordinate strategies. 
  • Tools for sustainable planning: promoting the Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC) to benchmark and guide local sustainable development. 
  • Decentralised cooperation: supporting international partnerships where European municipalities work hand in hand with peers worldwide to advance sustainable urban development. 

At COP21, local and regional governments made clear that the Paris Agreement could only succeed with their full participation. Their message was simple but powerful: municipalities and regions are closest to citizens, already delivering results, and ready to scale up climate ambition. Recognising and empowering them is not optional, it is essential to building a sustainable, low-carbon future. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

BANOS DE GUISASOLA Eva
In Climate, Climate, Energy, Energy, Environment, Environment, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Latest, PLATFORMA, PLATFORMA, Publications

Key messages of regions for COP21

Climate - News

From Lyon to Paris: Regions and Municipalities as Catalysts for COP21 Success

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As the world prepared for the Paris Climate Summit (COP21), Europe’s municipalities and regions highlighted their crucial role in delivering climate action. Close to citizens and equipped with the political legitimacy to act, they are key to building sustainable and low-carbon societies. 

Local governments are already leading by example. Initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors, with thousands of signatories, show that ambitious commitments like reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 are achievable. These successes underline that global climate agendas can only succeed with strong local engagement. 

CEMR and its partners call for genuine recognition of subnational governments in international negotiations. This means giving them a seat at the COP discussion table, integrating their role in EU and national strategies, and ensuring appropriate political and financial frameworks. 

Decentralised cooperation is also vital. Through networks such as PLATFORMA, municipalities and regions share expertise with partners worldwide, ensuring that climate action is effective on the ground and adapted to local realities. 

From Lyon to Paris, towns and regions proved they are catalysts for global climate success. Recognising and empowering them is essential for the achievement of the Paris Agreement and a sustainable future. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

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

TTIP: protect local autonomy

Head Banner - RFSC

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: 

BENNIS Hamza
In Employment, Employment, Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Latest, Publications

Review of the working time directive

Work - News Section

CEMR calls for a balanced review of the Working Time Directive that respects local autonomy and public service delivery 

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In response to the European Commission’s public consultation on the review of the Working Time Directive, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) reaffirms its long-standing position: any revision must safeguard both the health and safety of workers and the ability of local and regional governments (LRGs) to deliver quality public services. 

CEMR welcomes the opportunity for dialogue, while stressing the importance of flexibility, subsidiarity and legal clarity in any future proposals. The organisation emphasises that solutions must be tailored to the realities of the public sector at the local level and negotiated by social partners closest to those realities. 

A Directive in need of modernisation… but not at any cost 

Unchanged since 2003, the Working Time Directive is due for modernisation. However, CEMR warns that changes must not impose one-size-fits-all rules that hinder municipalities and regions’ capacity to organise their services effectively. 

CEMR supports a legislative framework that allows space for social dialogue, enabling employer-employee solutions that reflect local conditions and needs. It also opposes extending the scope of the Directive to cover areas beyond health and safety, such as pay, reconciliation of work and private life, or new work patterns, which are either beyond EU competence or should be left to national and local arrangements. 

Flexibility, Clarity and No Overreach 

In its response, CEMR reiterates the need for: 

  • Flexibility to adapt working time rules to diverse services and contexts; 
  • Respect for local autonomy and social partner agreements; 
  • Clarity and legal certainty to avoid confusion and facilitate implementation; 
  • No new legislative initiatives until the full impact assessments are published and analysed. 

CEMR’s position is rooted in its 2011 policy paper, which remains relevant due to the lack of substantial follow-up from the European Commission since its adoption. Until more is known from the latest assessments and stakeholder feedback, CEMR believes any legislative action would be premature. 

“Local and regional governments are employers and service providers. They know best how to balance workers’ rights with the need to ensure essential services run smoothly, day and night.” 
— Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

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