“A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development?” Part 3: In what direction can the next MFF evolve in 2026? Webinar, Thursday 4 December 2025, 16:30-18:00 CET This webinar was held successfully with 50 participants. The full recording and summary of the event will be published shortly. 2025 […]
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ELARD campaign on the post-2027 regulations
On 17 November 2025, ELARD launched a targeted letter campaign addressed to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), asking them to use their voice to share our legislative amendments for the post 2027 regulations. This follows on from a call issued, in September 2025, to […]
The European Commission’s proposals for the future EU budget: Stakeholders’ and experts’ responses
As expected, on 16 July 2025, the European Commission published its long awaited proposals for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the 2028-2034 period and we have published an extensive overview. A debate has already kicked off and we are summarising below the stakeholders’ and experts’ responses, with special reference to local development and territorial cohesion. […]
Territorial Foresight for Intergenerational Justice – 10 December 2025
The event, Territorial Foresight for Intergenerational Justice: Tools and Practices for Sustainable Regional Policy and Planning, forms part of the Big Question Week “What if spatial planning took intergenerational justice seriously?”. It will take place on 10 December 2025, from 09.00-12.30 CET. This session will explore how regional policies and spatial plans can use territorial foresight to address the long-term […]
Cohesion Policy on the Rocks?
This EPRC paper by Mendez, C., Bachtler, J., and Wishlade, F. deals in a systematic way with: The state of play of Cohesion Policy The shaping of MFF of the MFF proposals The national perspectives on reform The EU budget proposals for 2028-2034 The Cohesion Policy regulatory proposals for 2028-2034 and closes with a discussion […]
Ex post evaluation of the ERDF and CF for the period 2014-2020
The European Commission published on 10 October 2025 a Staff Working Document presenting the findings of the ex post evaluation of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) for the 2014-2020 programming period. The evaluation is built around the five evaluation criteria stemming from the BetterRegulation Guidelines. Accordingly, it examines the: (i) […]
Feedback from the Policy Action Lab – Rural areas and communities in the post-2027 EU budget and policies
This Policy Action Lab (see below) took place successfully on 5 November 2025 in Brussels. We are pleased to post the initial feedback provided by Āris Ādlers who participated in this event. Dear LDnet members. Greetings from Brussels. The European Commission presented its vision for the post-2027 EU budget (MFF) and outlined how rural areas […]
An overview of the Commission’s EU budget proposal and the challenges ahead
The Commission lays out the plans before the budget battle Serafín Pazos-Vidal analyses the new EU budget proposal for 2028-2034 presented by the Von der Leyen Commission. Although it is billed as a “radical restructuring,” the author warns that it is actually “doing much more with the same,” which foreshadows a tough political battle in […]
Βottom-up initiatives can make local communities more resilient to climate change, social exclusion, disinformation, or conflict challenges
The series ‘Expert Voices’ offers interviews showcasing the experience and insights of AEIDL experts and ELIF members. In the 8th edition, Urszula Budzich-Tabor, Senior Policy Analyst at AEIDL on the Rural Pact Support Office and LDnet Deputy Chair, highlights: How the LEADER approach empowers local communities and inspires CLLD in coastal and fisheries areas. The impact of CLLD in […]
A new urban policy agenda for the EU
This briefing paper by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), authored by Vasilis Margaras and published in October 2025, addresses the current challenges facing the cities in Europe and the EU response through the Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU) so far and potentially in the post-2027 period. The paper covers the the Urban Agenda […]
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 – […]