In the latest interview in the EXPERT VOICES series, Armelle Ledan, Social Innovation Expert and ELIF Thematic Coordinator, reflects on how EU policy and funding frameworks support, and often limit, Community-Led Social Innovation (CLSI) in practice. She highlights why community-led initiatives still struggle to access EU funding, explains why LEADER and CLLD remain among the most […]
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Roadmaps for Administrative Capacity Building – Design and Implementation
The ‘Study on Roadmaps for Administrative Capacity Building – Design and Implementation’ was carried out by t33 and Spatial Foresight for the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission. The study provides an in-depth analysis of the development and implementation of roadmaps designed to strengthen administrative capacity in fifteen EU Member States. […]
OECD workshops on Rural Communication and Rural Proofing
In the context of the discussions on the “OECD Principles of Rural Policy”, the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE) is launching two new workshop series focused on two issues that are central to effective rural policy: rural communication and rural proofing. The discussions will feature perspectives from policymakers, journalists, community voices, and […]
Proposals for improving the draft regulations accompanying the next MMF
As discussed in the recent LDnet webinar on the way that the MFF proposals are likely to evolve in 2026, there several proposals that are currently being discussed focussed on specific amendments to the draft Regulations. . Some of the proposals are substantial. For instance, the recently published draft CoR Opinion on the NRPP Fund […]
Follow-up debate on the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework – 22 January 2026
This webinar took place successfully on 22.1.2026. A full recording. summary and speakers’ presentations will be published here shortly. LDnet Webinar – The debate on how the next MFF can evolve in 2026 The last event of LDnet 2025 webinar series, which took place on 4.12.2025, was titled “In what direction can the next MFF evolve in 2026?”. The webinar […]
LDnet Webinar (4.12.2025): “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? – Presentations and recording
This webinar was held successfully on 4 December 2025 with 50 participants. A follow-up event is planned for 22 January 2026 (see HERE). For the full recording of the webinar click HERE For the presentations of the speakers click below. The Commission’s proposal for the MFF: Perspectives regarding the final framework and implications for Local Development? […]
LDnet Webinar (28.5.2025) – “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development? (part 2)” – Summary, Presentations and Recording of the event
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. Summary of the event At the time when decision-makers at EU level were preparing to publish the draft legislation of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework […]
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. […]
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 […]