The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has reaffirmed its commitment to a more cohesive, resilient, and citizen-focused European Union in a resolution outlining the institution’s strategic priorities for the 2025–2030 mandate. The resolution was adopted during the plenary session on 15 May. Aligned with the European Council’s Strategic Agenda 2024–2029 and the European Commission’s Political Guidelines, the CoR calls for an ambitious, forward-looking agenda that places regions and cities at the heart of Europe’s future.
In the resolution, the CoR identifies Cohesion, Resilience, and Proximity as its three guiding priorities for the next five years. EPP-CoR members emphasized that economic, social, and territorial cohesion must remain a central pillar of the EU, with local and regional authorities (LRAs) playing a crucial role in delivering the Union’s strategic objectives.
JuanMa Moreno, President of Andalucía and first Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions, stated: “This resolution will serve as a clear roadmap for the CoR in 2025–2030, enabling us to contribute to finding solutions to the EU's new challenges, which we must face together. These are the issues on which we will base our demands to the other European institutions. Our priorities rest on three main pillars: cohesion, resilience, and proximity. Cohesion ensures that all EU regions benefit from growth and development. Resilience means improving our capacity to respond to security, economic, or environmental threats—whether natural or human-made. Lastly, proximity means strengthening local democracy and empowering regional authorities.”
Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR commented: “It’s great that we are working together in a time when the world is becoming increasingly unpredictable. As local leaders, we must be the adults in the room—demonstrating the sustainable future we are building. For that, we need people and competitiveness. If Europe wants to lead globally, we must start at the local level. Upholding EU values is what truly makes the difference.”
Jesús Ángel Garrido Martínez, Director general for relations with the EU, Region of La Rioja said: “In La Rioja, where our economic structure is largely based on micro and small enterprises, it is essential to create more opportunities for these businesses to access the transformative power of artificial intelligence. Housing is also a key issue, especially in rural areas. Institutions must promote tools and mechanisms that allow EU citizens to live freely wherever they choose.”
Thomas Schmidt, Member of the Saxon State Parliament emphasized continuity: “We must ensure that key European instruments are not replaced. Instead, we should adapt them to better meet the needs of the regions, with a focus on boosting cohesion and competitiveness.”
Markus Wallner, Governor of Vorarlberg, State Government of Vorarlberg addressed regulatory reform: “Simplification and deregulation are becoming priorities in public discourse. However, we must be careful not to fall into the bureaucracy trap. One of Europe’s greatest challenges is reducing bureaucracy without slipping into centralization.”
Strategic Pillars
Cohesion
The resolution calls for the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to be co-designed with LRAs, reinforcing the partnership principle and rejecting centralisation that undermines local governance. CoR members advocate for robust financial instruments, fiscal decentralisation, and new own resources to meet emerging challenges and uphold long-term EU objectives. They stressed the importance of strengthening the capital markets union, fostering an investment-friendly climate for SMEs, reducing administrative burdens, and improving regulatory frameworks.
Resilience
The resolution underlines the need for stronger EU crisis response mechanisms, supported by improved coordination and funding to manage the green, digital, and demographic transitions. LRAs are seen as central to driving climate action, biodiversity protection, and a decentralised energy transition to bolster energy security and competitiveness.
Water resilience is also highlighted as urgent, with integrated management strategies recognized as vital for climate adaptation, food security, and public health. A reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is viewed as crucial to achieving food sovereignty, rural development, and strategic autonomy—with strong regional participation.
Proximity
The CoR reaffirms that trust in the European project begins at the local level. The resolution stresses the importance of addressing demographic change—including brain drain, ageing populations, and shrinking regions—through family-friendly policies, intergenerational fairness, and quality public services that enable people to thrive in their communities.
Safeguarding local democracy and bridging the gap between citizens and institutions is identified as essential. The resolution commits to enhancing citizen participation, particularly among youth, and leveraging CoR networks like the EU Local Councillors and Young Elected Politicians programme to bring the EU closer to its people. Gender equality is also recognized as a cross-cutting priority, with an emphasis on translating EU strategies into regional realities and promoting women’s political participation.