The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) launched several new and revitalised Working Groups (WGs) with EU enlargement partners today, placing local and regional authorities at the centre of Europe’s integration strategy. The launch took place during the 10th edition of Enlargement Day (27–28 May 2025), co-organised with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. EPP-CoR members actively participated in these meetings.
Working Group on Türkiye
Opening the meeting of the Working Group on Türkiye, Jelena Drenjanin, CoR member and Co-Chair of the Working Group on Türkiye, underlined the strategic context of engagement with Türkiye: "Turkey is a strategic partner for the EU in many aspects such as in tackling migration, all of which will contribute to stronger partnership. But partnership and membership are not the same. The former is about shared interest and latter about shared values. Local democracy needs to be one of these shared values and cannot be taken for granted."
Working Group on Kosovo – Building a Dedicated Local Dialogue
Roman Línek, Member of the Regional Assembly of the Pardubice Region, highlighted the importance of a dedicated platform for Kosovo: "We in the EPP-CoR Group were convinced for some time that our CoR relations with Kosovo should be brought to a new, higher level of cooperation in our new mandate to be able to better support Kosovo local authorities in their inspirations to EU membership.This is why we were among those proposing to create the new CoR WG with Kosovo and I am very happy to see today that the inaugural meeting of this WG takes place with such a good attendance also by mayors and other representatives from Kosovo. It is important that we have an institutional forum which will be entirely devoted to our CoR cooperation with cities, municipalities and villages in Kosovo to see how we can support them on their path towards the EU membership."
Arnoldas Abramavičius, Councillor of Zarasai District Municipality, said: “Environmental protection is essential—we must not only aim to stop degradation, but also to continuously improve. It is a permanent process that takes time. Lithuania joined the EU 20 years ago, and since then, our environmental situation has improved significantly. Two key factors contributed to this progress: first, the broad involvement of all stakeholders in society, with local politicians playing an active role; and second, the renovation of public and private buildings, which must be facilitated to achieve energy efficiency and cost savings.”
Working Group on Ukraine – Staying Agile in Uncertain Times
Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk and former Chair of the WG on Ukraine, reflected on the flexibility and resilience needed in the current geopolitical climate: "What we’ve done together over the past years speaks for itself, and as you rightly mentioned, it proves the importance of staying flexible and responsive. It is indeed very wise that our program begins with language allowing us to adapt it as needed, because no one truly knows what tomorrow, next week, or next month will bring. Of course, we all wish for peace to come to Ukraine—and soon—but in the meantime, we must stay agile and prepared to act swiftly in this ever-changing situation. Thank you very much."
Working Group on Moldova – Local Partnerships for EU Path
Adrian Téban, Mayor of Cugir, celebrated the deepening of cooperation: "We are glad to launch this Working Group today, as it brings together mayors from the Republic of Moldova and EU partners in support of Moldova’s European path. "This is more than just a meeting—it is a concrete step toward deeper local and regional cooperation, which is essential for a successful EU accession process. Moldova’s European aspirations are shared by its people, and local authorities play a crucial role in bringing EU values and standards closer to citizens. We believe this cooperation will strengthen institutional capacities, promote good governance, and ensure that Moldova will become a member of the European Union as soon as possible!"
Siim Suursild, Member of Pärnu City Council sated that: "I have visited Moldova several times since 1984. In recent years, I have hosted delegations from Moldovan municipalities in Estonia several times. I believe that it is extremely important for the journey we are embarking on today with our CoR working group includes people from, for example, Romania, Poland and Estonia, who have been through a similar journey to Moldova and are willing to share the best experiences that may come their way. I encourage Moldovan colleagues to use our experience, especially in the area of local government reform, to gain practical experience. It is always easier to move forward when you learn from the mistakes of others rather than making them yourself."
JCC on Albania – A Future Rooted in Shared Local Values
Dimitrios Kafantaris, Municipal Councillor of Pulou – Nestoro, offered a personal perspective: "It is an honour for me to actively participate in the JCC on Albania, representing the European Committee of the Regions as a full member, and also as a Greek. "Our relations with the neighbouring country have deep roots and, more importantly, a promising future. Living in a country that hosts thousands of people of Albanian origin, I have witnessed this journey up close—the challenges, but also the opportunities. EU enlargement is not a one-way street. It is a mutual process. That is why we must strengthen the role of local and regional authorities. Our approach must be multi-level, with a focus on modernisation, transparency, and real citizen engagement."
10th Enlargement Day – A Milestone for Localising EU Accession
These Working Groups were inaugurated during the 10th CoR Enlargement Day, held on 27–28 May 2025, in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. This high-level event celebrates the European Union’s evolving enlargement agenda with:
- Interactive policy debates on the local and regional dimensions of enlargement
- Exchanges with mayors, regional leaders, and civil society from the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, Türkiye, and the EU
- Focus sessions on cross-border cooperation, local governance reform, and post-war reconstruction
- Multilingual online streaming, making the event accessible across Europe
As the EU continues to expand its political family, these local-level dialogues and partnerships reaffirm the CoR’s commitment to bringing Europe closer to every citizen—starting with those on the ground.
Earlier today the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) between the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and Montenegro. Read more here. https://www.eppcor.eu/press-releases/eu-accession-through-local-action-montenegro-and-cor-launch-joint-consultative