EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions

12/06/2026

Our member Patrik Schwarcz-Kiefer gave a presentation on transport poverty at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) to researchers working on the topic and Commission officials.

"We must not allow the cost of the green transition to be paid by the poorer segments of society. Short-term, effective measures are needed both in Hungary and across Europe."

Local authorities have a key role in this - mayors and municipal representatives are best placed to understand everyday problems and challenges. This is why it is also important to preserve cohesion policy, which provides an excellent framework for addressing transport poverty as well.

12/06/2026

Cities and regions must have a real voice in shaping Europe’s future.

The proposed regional check must be more than a formal procedure or a box-ticking exercise. It needs legal weight — legal teeth — so that local and regional authorities are genuinely involved in the design, implementation and assessment of national plans.

The European Commission should not approve plans that ignore the role of local and regional authorities or fail to respect the national and constitutional context of each country.

If local and regional authorities have no voice, our citizens have no voice. And without citizens, there is no Europe.

Emil Boc
European Committee of the Regions

11/06/2026

Following the presentation of an updated negotiating framework ("negobox") for the next Multiannual Financial Framework by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions stresses that Europe cannot deliver more with less. New priorities such as security, defence, competitiveness and strategic autonomy must be adequately financed without undermining the policies that have long strengthened Europe's regions and communities.

The EPP-CoR Group supports the position of the EPP Group in the European Parliament: the next EU budget must be ambitious enough to address emerging challenges while preserving strong support for cohesion policy, agriculture and other key investments that drive growth, resilience and territorial cohesion across Europe.

As highlighted in the Rhodes Declaration adopted by EPP - European People's Party local and regional leaders, Europe's future budget should be place-based, accessible and capable of supporting both existing and new priorities. Regions and cities are essential partners in delivering European objectives on the ground and must be equipped with the necessary resources to do so.

As EPP-CoR President Sari Rautio said "This is more than a budget." It is about Europe's capacity to invest in security, innovation and competitiveness while ensuring that no region, city or citizen is left behind.

At the same time, an agreement should be reached in time to provide certainty for beneficiaries and avoid delays in delivering vital investments across the European Union.

11/06/2026

🇪🇺 The Single Market is the cornerstone of the European Union.

It creates opportunities, drives innovation, and connects businesses across borders.

And at the heart of it all are our SMEs — the backbone of Europe’s economy.

European Committee of the Regions

11/06/2026

🇪🇺 From Energy Independence to Drone Production: Struk highlights how Pomorskie is building regional security

Speaking at a European Committee of the Regions Local Dialogue in Starogard Gdański with around 100 secondary school students, Mieczysław Struk, Marshal of the Pomorskie Voivodeship and Member of the European Committee of the Regions, outlined how regions play a crucial role in strengthening Europe's security and resilience.

From the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant and the region's first offshore wind farm to the protection of critical infrastructure and the development of the defence industry, including drone manufacturing, Pomorskie is investing in the foundations of long-term security.

The discussion also explored the European dimension of security in today's geopolitical context, including the war in , global conflicts, climate-related threats and the role of EU support in helping regions protect citizens and build resilience.

A lively exchange with young participants concluded the event, giving students the opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and discuss the challenges shaping Europe's future.

11/06/2026

Today, Borboly Csaba, Vice-President of Harghita County Council, participated in the SkillsPULSE Policy Roundtable in Brussels, joining representatives from European and international institutions to discuss how to tackle skills shortages and skills gaps.

In his intervention, he stressed that effective skills policies require three essential conditions: strong local partnerships, long-term political commitment and stable, predictable funding.

“Good practices cannot simply be copied and pasted. They must be adapted to local circumstances.”

He also highlighted the need to support employers, particularly SMEs, through simplified access to public co-financing, training vouchers, tax incentives and retention measures. “Employers invest when training responds directly to their real needs — and when the system does not punish them with paperwork for trying.”

For Csaba Borboly, local and regional authorities must be recognised as laboratories for innovation, able to pilot, test and evaluate solutions that respond to real territorial needs.

“The regional level is where skills policy becomes real. We translate strategies into action, build local skills ecosystems and engage employers and training providers face to face.”

Skills policy must not stop at EU or national level. It must fit local realities.

11/06/2026

🇪🇺 Border regions must remain at the heart of Europe’s future cohesion policy.

Speaking at the European Cross-Border Platform (ECBP) Annual Meeting in Brussels, Pablo Hurtado Pardo, Director General for External Action of the Regional Government of Extremadura and member of the European Committee of the Regions, highlighted the need to preserve a strong role for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Interreg in the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

He stressed that the ongoing negotiations provide a key opportunity to strengthen territorial cooperation, ensure dedicated support for border regions, and reinforce Interreg as a cornerstone of European integration. Pablo Hurtado also welcomed growing support for keeping key Interreg provisions in the regulation itself, continuing support for smart specialisation and territorial innovation, and reintroducing a fund for small projects.

His intervention builds on the European Committee of the Regions’ opinion on the future of the ERDF, Interreg and the Cohesion Fund, drafted by Guardiolo, President of the Regional Government of Extremadura.

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

The next is more than a budget. It’s about the future of local communities.

We asked our young elected politicians from villages, cities and regions across Europe about their aspirations.

European Committee of the Regions

10/06/2026

“Disinformation weakens democracy not only by spreading falsehoods, but by manufacturing distrust.”

This was the strong message brought by EPP-CoR Young Elected Politician Andreas Andreou, Councillor at the Municipality of Galatsi, during EuroPCom — the European Public Communication Conference, held in Brussels on 9 and 10 June.

Andreas highlighted how disinformation affects municipalities and regions in very concrete ways. - “At the local level, we see how anonymous social media activity and manipulated digital content can create a misleading public mood around public works, municipal decisions and everyday community issues. The democratic response is not to silence criticism, which is essential, but to strengthen transparency, direct engagement and trust. Democracy is defended first in local communities.”

From distorted images to unfounded allegations about public works or municipal decisions, local authorities are increasingly facing online manipulation that can damage trust and create a false negative climate.

Andreas stressed that citizens’ criticism is vital in a democracy. The real challenge begins when criticism is replaced by distortion, and when disinformation diverts attention from genuine local problems.

His message was clear: more transparency, direct communication with citizens, open dialogue, livestreamed engagement and stronger support for municipalities and regions. Because democracy is defended first where citizens experience it every day: in their local communities.