July 3, 2025

The following is a press release:

Following the proposal setting a 2040 EU climate target by the European Commission, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő, said: "Regions and cities have been the engine of Europe's massive progress on energy efficiency and renewable production, on sustainable transport, on urban greening and industrial green innovation, on all climate challenges. This happened also thanks to decades of increasing cohesion policy support for local climate action. We remain committed to reducing the EU's net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, however this is unthinkable if the post 2027 EU budget dismantles regional policy and sidelines regional and local authorities from shaping and delivering key investments. While the CoR welcomes the consideration of flexibility measures in the design of future legislation to meet the target, we believe that such flexibilities must not undermine the EU's decarbonisation efforts.

There would be a blatant contradiction between proposing serious climate target for 2040 and an overcentralised, poorer EU long-term budget, between the precious daily work carried out by regions and cities with the European Commissioners and Commission's directorates in charge for climate, regional policy, environment, energy, transport and the idea of limiting the cooperation to national governments. If the next Multiannual Financial Framework doesn’t place regions and cities at its heart, the EU’s 2040 climate target won’t just be missed — it will unravel. Regions and cities are where climate action becomes reality. Without empowering them, ambition turns into illusion. We fully support the proposed target, but they will be credible only if on the 16 of July the new budget proposal will offer regions and cities the means to translate them into reality.

We also expect the target to shape an ambitious EU’s Nationally Determined Contribution ahead of UNFCCC COP30, with cities and regions as core implementers."

The First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions, Juanma Moreno, who was also the CoR rapporteur on the European Climate Law, said: "It is essential that the next Multiannual Financial Framework places regions and cities at the heart of European climate action. In Andalusia, we have made a notable effort: we have reduced our emissions, committed to the circular economy, and made sustainability a guiding principle in our journey toward a greener, more resilient, and better-prepared community for the future. This commitment already sets us on the path toward achieving the 2040 Climate Goal.

However, reaching this goal will not be possible unless regions are provided with the necessary resources and their key role is fully recognized. Regions are the driving force of transformation; we are the ground where European policies take shape. And if Europe wants these policies to be effective, fair, and tangible, it must place its trust in us."

Contact:

Lauri Ouvinen

Tel: +32 473 536 887

lauri.ouvinen@cor.europa.eu