At the Plenary Session of the 10th Enlargement Day of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Nikola Dobroslavić (HR/EPP), CoR Vice-President and Co-Chair of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) CoR–Montenegro, delivered a strong message reaffirming the vital role of local and regional authorities in the European Union’s enlargement strategy. “We should never tire of repeating that the regions and cities, both in the EU member states and in the enlargement countries, should be actively involved in the enlargement process,” said Dobroslavić. “Local and regional authorities are the closest to the citizens, they implement most of the EU acquis—almost 70%—they are responsible for public investment, and they are the first to see the transformative effects and changes and reforms.”
Dobroslavić emphasised that EU enlargement, while being a primarily political process, must be anchored in a whole-of-society approach. This means placing cities and regions at the centre of the dialogue on reform, integration, and progress. “The Committee of the Regions has been a champion of the EU enlargement, and of local and regional involvement in the process, for a number of years,” he noted. “Together with our counterparts from the candidate countries and potential candidates, we have never got tired of talking about it—keeping the flame lit even when it was not as high on the political agenda.”
Dobroslavić highlighted that local and regional leaders, both within the EU and in candidate countries, are uniquely placed to explain and promote the benefits of enlargement. “This will help shape a narrative of our common work, which is anchored in facts and figures, as opposed to populist and alarmist rhetoric. This is a very concrete and tangible offer that we can make to our partners in the other institutions.”
Decentralisation vital for EU enlargement
EPP-CoR members actively contributed to two high-level debates during the Enlargement Day plenary. In a panel focused on the decentralisation process, Arnoldas Abramavičius, Councillor of Zarasai District Municipality (LT), reflected on Lithuania’s journey toward EU accession:“About 30 years ago we did significant reform in terms of decentralisation. The reform was ahead of its time, but eventually we saw that new instruments like digital services and the internet helped people feel included in the community. It made a real difference, especially as municipalities absorbed EU funds. Sometimes unpopular reforms help in the long-term. All countries need to find their own way, using best practices from those already implementing them.”
In a second debate on' Energy Transition and Local Climate Action in the Context of EU Accession' Jelena Drenjanin, Co-Chair of the Working Group on Türkiye, focused on agriculture and climate challenges: “Agriculture is one of the largest challenges for accession states in the context of climate change. It is important to learn from best practices already in place in existing Member States to help local and regional authorities implement policies to effectively face these challenges. However, this requires decentralisation, which will allow LRAs to make decisions tailor-made to their realities on the ground.”
Adrian Teban, Mayor of Cugir underscored the importance of pragmatic policymaking: “We must implement policies that address the actual needs of the citizens, as opposed to being based purely on ideological grounds. This, combined with clearly explaining to citizens what the benefits of these policies are, is a rational approach that will lead to greater acceptance among our citizens.”
About the 10th Enlargement Days
This year’s 10th Enlargement Day (27–28 May 2025), organised by the European Committee of the Regions in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, was the largest to date, featuring:
- Over nine active bodies, including new Joint Consultative Committees (JCCs) and Working Groups with Albania, Kosovo, Moldova, and others.
- Inaugural meetings and adoption of Work Programmes to support local reforms in alignment with EU accession goals.
- A focus on the geopolitical urgency of enlargement, particularly in light of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.
- High-level dialogues giving a platform to mayors, regional leaders, civil society, and EU officials.
With enlargement now firmly back on the EU’s strategic agenda, the EPP-CoR reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that local and regional voices remain at the heart of the process—where transformation is most visible, and where Europe is built from the ground up.