At the 13th meeting of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) in Rzeszów, Poland, on January 21st, discussions focused on the role of municipalities in aiding the accession of Eastern Partnership countries to the European Union (EU).
The event, organized by the European Committee of the Regions, brought together leaders to explore how local governments can help accelerate EU integration through effective governance and local development.
Speaking at the event, PLATFORMA spokesperson Karīna Miķelsone emphasized that local governments are responsible for implementing about 70% of the EU acquis, with half of their duties related to EU matters. The new European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, also highlighted the importance of local governments in the EU accession process.
Participants also recognized the challenges that municipalities encounter in managing EU-funded projects. Improving their ability to navigate these complex processes is viewed as crucial to prevent centralization and ensure that local governments continue to be key drivers of democratic governance.
To address these challenges, the Committee of the Regions and CORLEAP proposed establishing the Eastern Partnership Academy for Public Administration, an initiative designed to identify critical needs and promote collaboration among educational institutions to support local governance.