April 7, 2025

The following is a press release:

The European Committee of the Regions has urged the European Union to address the problem of "local state capture" in countries wishing to join the Union and, in an urgent resolution on Türkiye, "strongly condemn[ed] the arrests and detentions of local opposition leaders, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu".

The calls on 2-3 April were made at a plenary of the EU's assembly for local and regional politicians after a debate on the enlargement with the EU with Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement.

The CoR resolution on Türkiye warns that "the systematic targeting of opposition politicians threatens the foundations of democratic societies", calls on the High Representative/Vice President of the European Commission "to consider imposing restrictive measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime", and says that "continued backsliding on fundamental rights should lead to a review of Türkiye's participation in EU financial and institutional programs". The resolution reflects warnings by the CoR since 2016 about the damage done to local democracy in Türkiye by the replacement of many elected mayors by government-appointed trustees.

The CoR is also highly critical of the Serbian authorities' response to months of protests following the collapse of the roof of a railway station in Novi Sad. In an opinion on enlargement in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, prepared by Uccle Municipal Councillor Jean-Luc Vanraes (BE/RE), the CoR expresses "serious concerns over the detention and subsequent deportation of civil society activists, including citizens of EU Member States" and notes "with alarm that such actions risk undermining fundamental freedoms".

In their review of progress towards EU enlargement in 2024, led by Gdansk Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz (PL/EPP), members of the CoR emphasised that it is of "paramount importance" that any country wishing to join the EU align with the Union's foreign and security policy, and also underscored the "great role" that the civil societies of candidate countries have to play in the process of implementing enlargement.

The CoR's assessments focus primarily on governance and administration at the local and regional level, describing effective local and regional self-governance and a flourishing local democracy as "essential components" of systems of checks and balances in candidate countries. The CoR notes that, despite the war, Ukraine has made "progress in local governance, reconstruction and decentralisation". In the Western Balkans, the CoR identifies a problem of "local state capture" in which the local governance system is fully or partially usurped by powerful individuals or groups.

Recommendations by the CoR also highlight the broader benefits, in terms of soft power, of EU support for local and regional authorities (LRAs), praising "the indispensable role of LRAs in fostering reconciliation, addressing historical legacies and resolving bilateral issues through dialogue, trust-building and joint cross-border initiatives".

The CoR put the benefits of cross-border cooperation in the spotlight by inviting the mayors of the joint European Capitals of Culture for 2025 – Nova Gorica in Slovenia and Gorizia in Italy, the first time that the accolade has been to two cities that share a border. Since Slovenia's accession to the EU in 2004, the two previously divided cities have merged into one urban community sharing a central square and a public transport network. Commissioner Kos said that Nova Gorica and Gorizia “are making the vision of European peace real every day. The mayors – Samo Turel (SI/Renew Europe) of Nova Gorica and Rodolfo Ziberna of Gorizia – said that the integration of the two cities shows that coexistence is possible, despite past divisions.

Quotes:

Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions: "Enlargement isn't just about drawing new lines on a map. It's about building peace, stability and opportunity for everyone in Europe. When our neighbours are stronger, we are too. Cities and regions across Europe have so much to offer: knowledge, experience, and solidarity. By working together across borders and on the ground, we can help shape a Europe that's more united, more secure, and more prosperous. The voices of local and regional leaders matter in this process, because it's in our communities where the real impact of EU membership is felt. And it's through cooperation at every level that we can defend our shared values and meet the challenges of our time – together."

Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement: "I strongly believe that local and regional leaders are essential architects in building the European Union. In Nova Gorica and Gorizia, Mayor Turel and Mayor Giverna are making the vision of European peace real every day. The world around is changing rapidly, requiring Europe to take greater responsibility for its own stability and defence. And it has reinforced what we have long known, that a larger united Europe is a stronger Europe. Enlargement is a necessity for our security, prosperity and the long-term strength of Europe. And we must seize this moment."

Aleksandra Dulkiewicz (PL/EPP), Mayor of Gdańsk and CoR rapporteur on 'Enlargement package 2024 – Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia': "The enlargement process must be a merit-based process. Secondly, there should be decentralisation, not only as an idea, but also in terms of fiscal decentralisation. Thirdly, we need to be aware of the activities of hostile actors, including media manipulation, public opinion manipulation, disinformation. Fourthly, the role of non-governmental organizations is very important to support the integration process. And, lastly, we need bilateral cooperation, city to city, village to village, region to region."

Jean-Luc Vanraes (BE/RE), member of Uccle Municipal Council and CoR rapporteur on 'Enlargement package 2024 - Western Balkans and Türkiye': "This report was written during a period overshadowed by international and internal conflicts, which threaten the principles of the rule of law and democracy, including for local authorities. In general, it can be stated that the debate on subsidiarity and the financing of local governments still needs to be thoroughly conducted. Regarding Cyprus, unfortunately, it is necessary to repeatedly advocate for the implementation of the resolutions adopted by the UNSC.”

Background:

The enlargement debate can be re-watched on the CoR’s website; photos can be found here.

Nova Gorica and Gorizia are European Capitals of Culture in 2025, the first cross-border municipalities to be given the title. A peace treaty between Italy and Yugoslavia in 1947 resulted in the division of what had been a single city. Cooperation between the two cities in facilitated in part by a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), which provides a legal basis for cross-border cooperation. The CoR is responsible for maintaining the EGTC register.

Draft urgent resolution on the 'Arrest of Turkish Mayors and the Assault on Local Democracy in Türkiye', adopted 3 April 2025: press release.

Two opinions adopted by the European Committee of the Regions on 2 April – 'Enlargement package 2024 – Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia' and 'Enlargement package 2024 - Western Balkans and Türkiye' – assess the progress on EU-related reforms made by nine countries seeking EU membership, from the perspective of local and regional governance. In addition to providing country-specific recommendations for consideration by EU institutions, the opinions bring to the fore a range of overarching messages. These include: the critical need for effective local self-governance and decentralisation – both political and fiscal – in order to facilitate the integration of candidate countries; the importance of involving local and regional authorities EU-related in reforms given that their role in implementing roughly 70% of EU legislation; a need to combat "local state capture" in the Western Balkans; and the particular significance of LRAs in cross-border cooperation, environmental protection, disaster preparedness, and countering disinformation. The opinions underline a new urgency for the EU to enhance its influence and foster stability in neighbouring regions, given the current geopolitical context.

The recommendations by the CoR emphasise the value of international partnerships between cities and between regions. The CoR is a co-founder of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, for which it serves as the secretariat. The Alliance is encouraging regional and municipal administrations to forge collaborations with regional and city calls in Ukraine.

The European Commission formally opened accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova in June 2024. In 2023, the EU recognised Georgia as a candidate for EU membership, but conditioned the start of talks on further reforms. Montenegro has provisionally closed three of 33 negotiating chapters. Serbia has started negotiations on two of six thematic 'clusters' of negotiations. Albania opened two clusters of negotiations in 2024. Türkiye began negotiations on accession to the EU in 2005; talks are currently at a standstill. In March 2024, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina; North Macedonia is currently awaiting a green light from the European Council for talks to begin. Kosovo* is considered a potential candidate for EU membership.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution UNSCR 1244/1999 and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Contact:

Andrew Gardner

Tel: +32 473 843 981

andrew.gardner@cor.europa.eu