“As local and regional authorities, we are not just implementers of policies. We are front-runners – shaping the Europe of tomorrow. But I truly believe that we as the EU—together—could do more. As the title of the opinion says, it’s about more than funding. It’s about creating an industrial symbiosis for local innovation and partnerships. For us, this is about jobs and development in all our regions. That’s how the clean transition will succeed.” Åsa Ågren Wikström (SE/EPP), Regional Councillor of Västerbotten and rapporteur on the opinion More than funding: local and regional authorities mobilising public and private resources for an effective follow-up on the Clean Transition Dialogues on the ground made these remarks in Brussels .
During its plenary session, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted an opinion that urges local and regional authorities to look beyond EU funding mechanisms. It calls for the mobilisation of both public and private resources to ensure effective, on-the-ground follow-up to the Clean Transition Dialogues.
The opinion calls on the European Commission to ensure the regular inclusion of local and regional authorities in transition dialogues. These authorities are vital actors in the EU’s climate ambitions, serving as hubs for renewable energy, circular economy practices, and decarbonisation strategies. Their collaboration with businesses, academia, and vocational institutions is fundamental to developing ecosystems that foster innovation, skills, and sustainable enterprise in clean and circular technologies.
Ågren Wikström emphasized this point, stating: “We need ecosystems where municipalities, cities, regions, industry, and academia co-create solutions. In an industrial symbiosis.” She illustrated this with tangible examples: “In my hometown Umeå, the Eco Industrial Park brings together waste management, clean energy, and circular innovation. When fully expanded, it could reduce Sweden’s CO₂ emissions by 3–4%. In Vaasa, Finland, EnergyVaasa stands as a model of cross-border industrial collaboration and regional leadership in the energy sector.”
The rapporteur highlighted the necessity of greater private investment in green projects. This can be achieved through the use of market-based instruments and the establishment of predictable, investment-friendly regulatory environments. Additionally, she underlined the essential role of public-private partnerships in driving research, technological development, and innovation.
The core message of the opinion is clear: the clean transition will only succeed if Europe empowers its cities and regions—not only with funding, but also with a governance model based on partnership, collaboration, and shared leadership.