STRAT-Board, an Interactive Tool for Integrated Urban & Territorial Strategies In October 2025, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) launched the 2021-27 version of its STRAT-Board database and map showing all Cohesion Policy-funded territorial strategies in the EU. It is an interactive mapping tool providing information on so far 1,426 integrated strategies that make use […]
Archives for 2025
UNIMUNICIPIOS: Connecting research and local communities for sustainable development
On September 1, 2025, at CEiiA | Engineering and Product Development Centre, the host institution of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s Portugal network (SDSN Portugal), the network signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three Portuguese municipalities — Matosinhos, Braga, and Guimarães — as well as two higher education institutions, the University of Minho […]
CoR: Democracy and European unity at risk under current post-2027 MFF proposal
A debate on the next EU long-term budget after 2027, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), highlighted major concerns among regions and cities regarding the proposal put forward by the European Commission on 16 July. The exchange, held during the meeting of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) on 7 October, brought […]
Strengthening local capacity to empower communities to innovate, making solutions more inclusive, resilient and sustainable
“Policies that respect and strengthen local capacity don’t just deliver services — they empower communities to innovate, making solutions more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.” The series ‘Expert Voices’ is expanding, sharing the latest interviews showcasing the experience and insights of AEIDL experts and ELIF members. The 6th edition, features Alexandra Yaghil, Policy Expert & Project Manager at AEIDL – […]
‘From vision to action: Empowering rural areas for the future’ – Highlights from the Rural Pact Conference
The Rural Pact Conference “From vision to action: Empowering rural areas for the future”, organised at the Château du Biez near Kortrijk (Belgium) on 16 and 17 September 2025, brought together 250 rural stakeholders from all over the EU and beyond, to exchange, network and discuss how to move forward with the Rural Vision till 2040 and […]
The relaunch of LDnet
We have now completed a very successful series of five LDnet webinars with more than 300 participants. We have also recently completed the setting up in Estonia of a new non-profit association, called ‘European Local Development Network Association MTÜ’, that will take over the operational support and guidance of the LDnet network from the ‘LEDA-Partenariat Association’, in […]
CLLD in fisheries and coastal communities: Achievements and Lessons
As a follow up to the preliminary report on “What does CLLD bring to coastal and fisheries communities around Europe?” published in December 2024, FAMENET has published a full report “CLLD in fisheries and coastal communities. Achievements and Lessons” which includes quantitative results achieved in the 2014-2020 period as well as qualitative information based on the […]
Intergenerational Fairness: A Local and Regional Approach to Building Inclusive and Sustainable Societies
The European Committee of the regions (CoR) has called for young people and future generations to be better protected from the consequences of political choices that prioritise short-term interests over long-term sustainability, and for more attention to be paid to ensuring that actions today do not become a burden tomorrow. In this opinion led by […]
Slovenia monitors and evaluates the LEADER/CLLD delivery
This paper ‘Slovenia monitors and evaluates the LEADER/CLLD delivery’ by Dr Irma Potočnik Slavič offers an analysis of the processes that have had a key impact on rural development in Slovenia after independence in 1991. It is important for professionals dealing with rural development and, at the same time, contributes to the development of the […]
Resilient coastal communities: a guide for FLAGs
We are highlighting again a practical guide that has attracted considerable interest among participants in the LDnet network. The guide is on “resilient coastal communities” which was published at the final stage of FARNET and which provides systematic guidance across a wide range of topics: social, economic, environmental and more – see Table of Contents […]
LDnet Webinar (28.5.2025) – “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development? (part 2)” – Presentations and Recording
This webinar took place successfully with 50 active participants on 28 May 2025. The full recording of the webinar is available HERE. The presentations of the speakers are available below. A summary of the event will be published shortly. For the background to this webinar and its agenda read on … On 19 February 2025 […]
LDnet Webinar (23.4.2025) – “EU Climate neutral cities by 2050, a serious challenge for European cities – Summary, presentations, recording
This event took place online on 23 April 2025 as part of the 2025 series of LDnet webinars. It was led by Maria João Filgueiras Rauch and was attended by some 40 participants. The summary of the proceedings is available below together with links to the presentations and the recording of the event. EU Climate neutral […]










