Europe's next enlargement will only succeed if cities and regions are recognised as genuine partners in the accession process. This was the clear message from the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR) during the EPP Political Assembly, where members contributed to high-level debates on the European Union's preparedness for enlargement and the readiness of candidate countries. For the EPP-CoR Group, Europe's enlargement policy will ultimately be judged not only by decisions taken in Brussels, but by the ability of cities and regions to deliver democracy, reforms and resilience on the ground.
The discussions came at a pivotal moment, following Enlargement Days 2026, the meeting of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, and the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 (URC2026) in Gdańsk. Across these events, EPP-CoR has consistently argued that enlargement is not only a geopolitical project but also a local one, requiring strong democratic institutions, effective multi-level governance and the active involvement of local and regional authorities from the earliest stages of the accession process.
Opening the debate from the local and regional perspective, Sari Rautio, President of the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR) and Councillor of Hämeenlinna (Finland), underlined why enlargement has become one of Europe's defining priorities. "We fully agree that enlargement is of utmost importance for Europe's security and competitiveness. The role of multi-level governance is essential. Cities and regions, together with local and regional authorities, have a vital role to play in the enlargement process."
The importance of meaningful local involvement was reinforced by Jelena Drenjanin, Municipal Councillor of Huddinge (Sweden) and Chair of the CoR Working Group on Türkiye, who drew on years of experience working with candidate countries. "Throughout the years, I have seen a significant difference between countries that have chosen to involve the local and regional level in the accession process. In those countries, the speed of accession has been much greater." She warned that consultation must become genuine partnership if enlargement is to succeed.
The EPP-CoR delegation also included Csaba Borboly, Vice-President of Harghita County Council (Romania) and Chair of the CoR Working Group on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Arnoldas Abramavičius, Councillor of Zarasai District Municipality (Lithuania), reflecting the Group's long-standing commitment to supporting candidate countries.
In addition to the Political Assembly, Arnoldas Abramavičius participated in the EPP Working Group on Migration and Home Affairs, where discussions focused on the implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. As the Committee of the Regions' rapporteur on the future Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the next Multiannual Financial Framework, Abramavičius stressed that implementation must be rooted in local realities. "The New Pact is a step forward, but its real test is implementation. Cities and local authorities are not just stakeholders—they are essential partners for delivering on the Pact."
He called for regional and local authorities to be fully involved in the preparation of national implementation plans and future National and Regional Partnership Plans, ensuring that migration and integration funding reflects territorial needs and follows the principles of partnership and multi-level governance. He also highlighted the role of the Cities and Regions for Integration initiative in sharing successful local practices and stressed the need to strengthen municipalities' capacity to deliver effective integration policies.