The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has continuously expressed its full and unconditional support to the Ukrainian people and their local and regional elected representatives since the beginning of the Russian-led war in Ukraine. 

CEMR is horrified by the scenes of desolation and the atrocities that were witnessed following the liberation of the Kyiv region by the Ukrainian army and expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims. 

 

700 mayors and local or regional leaders from across Europe have united around Ukraine by signing the Council of European Municipalities and Regions’ (CEMR) call condemning the Russian invasion and pledging to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

The moral and political condemnation of Russia’s aggression has been overwhelming. Signatories include the mayors of Lisbon, Paris, Tbilisi, Cologne, Cluj-Napoca, Gdańsk and Reading as well as the chairs and vice-chairs of 25 national associations of local and regional governments.

While towns, cities and regions across Europe are symbolically lighting up their public buildings blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine, they are also providing concrete support by hosting Ukrainian refugees and giving financial, humanitarian and material aid to Ukrainian local and regional governments. CEMR is coordinating this response with its 60 member associations from 40 European countries.
 

It has been two weeks since Vladimir Putin launched Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are the first victims. Ukraine’s mayors are on the front line mitigating the damage: organising shelters and evacuations, providing food and water and sharing essential information with residents. The European Union’s sanctions and the withdrawal of Western corporations are isolating Russia, but on the ground the bombs and battles roll on, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

Mayors are coping with this situation with their residents and organised groups of military and territorial defence, where possible. The news we receive town by town is very hard to hear, each one becoming a fortress, while remaining connected to each other where possible through the associations of local and regional governments and the national government.

 

The CEMR is very pleased to welcome Fabrizio Rossi as its new Secretary General. Elected on 20 January 2022 by CEMR’s Policy Committee, Mr Rossi takes over from Frédéric Vallier. Speaking of his new position, Mr Rossi said: “I want to make a contribution to addressing the main challenges humankind is currently facing by working hand in hand with territories and local communities in Europe and across the world.”

As Secretary General, Mr Rossi will work on the whole range of issues faced by local governments and their citizens. “The challenges are great and plenty – building local solutions to current and future crises, promoting peace and security, decarbonising European territories and societies, reducing social inequality and many others”, he said.

 

Gender equality is not something that can be decreed in a top-down way, nor something we can achieve in isolation. Rather, it is an issue which involves all of us – men and women, boys and girls, and all levels of society and government – in a common struggle for equal opportunities and fundamental rights.
 
It is in this spirit that CEMR has promoted gender equality in our municipalities and regions. In particular, the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life was promulgated to support local and regional governments’ efforts to act proactively to create gender equality. Today, over 1850 signatories in 36 countries are committed to promoting gender equality in their locality.
 

How is Europe’s complex patchwork of local and regional governments evolving? How have the responsibilities of municipalities, counties and regions changed in recent years, marked by environmental and health crises? What examples of successful territorial reforms can inspire others?

To answer these questions, we present to you a new digital report entitled, ‘Territorial Governance, Powers and Reforms in Europe’, or TERRI Report for short. This online tool highlights territorial reforms and decentralisation trends over the past decade in 40 countries. It also analyses the changing nature of relationships between central and subnational governments.

 

On 28 February-1 March, ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy in all EU member States meet to exchange on the 8th Cohesion Report, which was presented by Commissioner Elisa Ferreira on 9^th February. CEMR secretariat and the Chair of the expert group on territorial cohesion participate in the informal ministerial meeting as observers.
 
For CEMR, the publication of the 8^th Cohesion report is launching a reflection on what should the Cohesion Policy look like in the future, in particular in the next programming period 2028-2034. It is an opportunity to share local and regional governments’ aspirations for a stronger Cohesion Policy that effectively reduce territorial disparities in Europe.