Brussels, 15 June 2026
As negotiations on the EU’s next long-term budget enter a crucial phase, mayors and local leaders from across Europe are urging national leaders to ensure that cities and regions remain central to EU investment.
Ahead of the European Council meeting on 18 – 19 June, the Local Alliance – a coalition of the Europe's leading networks of local and regional governments representing more than 1,800 cities, 60 regions, 60 energy agencies and 42 national associations – has issued an open letter to Heads of State and Government.
The letter was signed by the presidents of all eight member networks, alongside over 50 additional signatories — including municipalities such as Barcelona, Budapest, Lisbon, Paris and Rome, as well as provinces, networks and associations.
Local and regional governments translate EU priorities into concrete projects, services and investments that improve the daily lives of their citizens. From expanding public transport and protecting water quality to modernising schools, hospitals and social housing, most EU priorities are implemented locally.
This is why the Local Alliance has consistently called for the next EU budget to be place-based, grounded in multilevel governance, and designed to deliver our shared European goals, including competitiveness and the green transition.
The coalition therefore welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament’s recent interim report on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), and the draft reports on the European Competitiveness Fund and the National and Regional Partnership Plans.
Ahead of the Council meeting, the open letter urges national leaders to uphold the Parliament’s key positions, including:
- On the overall EU budget: Clearly define budget allocations for key programmes serving local and regional governments – including Cohesion Policy, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and LIFE. This would prevent uncertainty and competition with other priorities like the Common Agricultural Policy. Mayors also call for safeguards to ensure local beneficiaries are not penalised when EU funds are suspended at Member State level due to rule-of-law concerns.
- On the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs): Require mandatory regional and territorial chapters in national plans, make multilevel governance a core principle, allocate resources to strengthen administrative capacity, and protect integrated territorial and urban development tools through dedicated ERDF funding.
- On the Competitiveness Fund: Maintain support for territorial innovation with dedicated mechanisms, provide predictable funding streams specifically for local and regional investment pipelines, and explicitly recognise local authorities as eligible beneficiaries and implementation partners.
The Local Alliance stands ready to provide practical evidence from cities and regions and to contribute to a structured dialogue on implementation and ensure the new framework strengthens, rather than undermines, Europe’s territorial cohesion and democratic governance.
Full statements from signatories can be found in the annex.
About the Local Alliance:
The Local Alliance is an informal coalition of Europe's leading networks representing local and regional governments, including ACR+, CEMR, Climate Alliance, Energy Cities, Eurocities, FEDARENE, ICLEI Europe, and POLIS. Together, they advocate for a stronger, more inclusive European Union that empowers local democracy.
