The negotiations on the MFF 2028-2034 have moved beyond the first battle over headline figures. The updated Irish Presidency Negotiating Box, the emerging European Parliament position (with votes on the key reports ongoing and due to end in December) and the latest European Council conclusions are beginning to reveal how the future budget could actually […]
Archives for 2026
Linking local innovation and community action to policy: a reflection on EWRC 2026
The 2026 edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities once again provided an opportunity to showcase, among other things, examples of local innovation and community action with potential relevance across Europe. Four projects caught my attention as particularly relevant to addressing the challenges facing many rural communities and peripheral territories throughout Europe. The […]
Where is the local? Reflections on the future of Cohesion Policy from the ARL Congress 2026
On 1–2 October, I attended the ARL Congress 2026 in Cologne, organised by the Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association (ARL). ARL brings together researchers and practitioners working on spatial planning, regional development and territorial policy, and its annual Congress provides a useful space for exchange between academic research and policy practice. Participants included […]
Webinar on “Local communities using citizen science in risk management”- 4 November 2026
The European Local Development Network Association (LDnet) in collaboration with the CS4Change project, is happy to be co-hosting a webinar titled ‘Local communities using citizen science in risk management’ on 4 November 2026, 16:30-18:00 CET. Registration is open HERE. . The webinar will share recent and ongoing studies that combine Citizen Science (CS) and environmental risk management. We will also discuss […]
RUR_DYNAMIX 2026: International Conference on Rural Dynamics, Resilience and Innovation, 27-28 November 2026
This conference will take place on 27–28 November 2026 in Mosteiro de Ancede, Baião, Portugal. It is organised through a collaboration between academic institutions, research centres and local authorities committed to the sustainable development of rural territories. RUR_DYNAMIX 2026 brings together researchers, policymakers and territorial actors to discuss the transformations shaping rural territories in times of global […]
Circular Economy and Cohesion Policy Funds
This study on Circular Economy and Cohesion Policy Funds was published in October 2026 in the series Research for REGI Committee of the European Parliament. The study examines how Cohesion Policy supports the circular economy, mapping allocations, implementation progress and territorial investment patterns. Drawing on EU policy analysis, programme data and five regional case studies, […]
Policy brief: Why Europe’s future depends on its places and territories
A new ‘Territorial Thinkers’ briefing (August 2026), Why Europe’s future depends on its places and territories reflects on main messages put forward by the authors over the past 10 years and adapts them to the current situation. The authors – Peter Mehlbye, Peter Schön, Derek Martin and Kai Böhme – summarise their key observations and […]
MFF negotiations: prospects of the negotiations after the summer recess
At the end of the Cyprus Presidency we published a critical overview of the MFF negotiations. We offer below an update by Serafin Pazos-Vidal on the state and prospects of the negotiations after the summer recess, followed by Serafin’s original overview. At this stage of the MFF negotiations, MEPs are about to start voting their […]
Multi-level Governance Architecture Matters for Leader’s Added Value
Finland – Evaluation of the regional and local rural development operating model Multi-level Governance Architecture Matters for Leader’s Added Value In recent years, there has been a strong focus on proving the added value of Leader in the rural development system. Significant steps have been taken to define the theoretical model for Leader added value, […]
Strong villages and towns: understanding the determinants of population change in EU settlements
This JRC Working Paper, Strong villages and towns: understanding the determinants of population change in EU settlements, is authored by Mert Kompil, Paola Proietti, Chiara Dorati, Chris Jacobs-Crisoni, and Lewis Dijkstra. The study examines the drivers of population change in EU settlements, focusing on villages and towns, and analyses the influence of local characteristics and […]
Cohesion Policy Capacity Index (CPCI)
What makes EU funding work effectively on the ground? Strong programmes need more than funding: they also depend on the capacity of the authorities managing them. The new Cohesion Policy Capacity Index (CPCI) provides a data-driven framework to assess and compare the administrative capacity of Managing Authorities across the EU. It looks at several dimensions […]
LDnet short webinars on “invisibilised” spaces
LDnet is preparing a series of short webinars on vacant, underused, liminal, transitional and “invisibilised” spaces. The idea emerged from the LDnet Working Group “New Ideas” and aims to collect and share practical stories from local development actors across Europe. We are looking for short contributions from practitioners, researchers, local authorities and community organisations on […]