Making the Next EU Budget work for cities and regions: the Local Alliance’s 10-Point Action Plan

The European Commission has issued a revised proposal for the next long-term EU Budget (the "Multi-annual Financial Framework" (MFF)) -- one that strengthens governance and better includes local and regional perspectives. It is a step in the right direction, but cities and regions need it to be stronger and smarter. Together with the Local Alliance, ACR+ developed a 10-Point Action Plan to improve the Commission's proposal and ensure the EU budget delivers tangible results for people in every territory across Europe and beyond.

For the next MFF, the Local Alliance calls on:

• Stronger multilevel governance mechanisms to deliver both reforms and investments
• Stronger partnership principle for the implementation of the MFF

For the National and Regional Partnerships Plan:

• Making regional and territorial chapters of the National and Regional Partnership Plans mandatory, with a clear section on cities
• Earmarking for a just transition & affordable living for all
• A real EU program for cities of all sizes under the proposed EU Facility
• Safeguarding mechanism for local and regional level to guarantee their access to EU funds
• Linking performance indicators to EU law implementation and territorial delivery

For the European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe:

• Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe should recognise cities and regions explicitly as innovators and investors

For Horizon Europe:

• Continuing the Mission approach under Horizon Europe

For the Global Europe Facility:

• Stronger support for accession cities and regions for the future of European cohesion