Emil Boc at ESPAS Conference: Territorial cohesion is part of Europe’s security

Cities and regions are the first to feel the impact of major societal changes and the first called upon to respond, Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca and member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), stressed at the 2026 ESPAS Annual Conference on 3 November. Speaking in the panel on societal resilience, he warned that Europe must prepare to tackle interconnected challenges, from climate change and demographic ageing to security, at the same time.

He called for greater investment in prevention and in the “infrastructure of trust”, including education, healthcare, social protection and meaningful citizen participation. Territorial cohesion, he argued, is not a luxury but part of Europe’s security: societies and regions that feel abandoned will be less resilient when the next crisis arrives.

Mayor Boc also stressed that policies need to be developed with citizens, not simply communicated to them. The green transition, for example, should translate into tangible benefits such as better public transport, shorter commuting times and less pollution, making the sustainable choice the easy choice.

Looking towards 2040, he called for stronger European integration, more integrated governance and a clear vision capable of restoring confidence in Europe’s common future. He also announced that Cluj-Napoca plans to appoint a Chief Resilience Officer focused on the 2040-2050 horizon.

The ESPAS Annual Conference, entitled “Europe 2040: What future for European security?”, brought together political leaders, civil society representatives, experts and foresight practitioners to discuss Europe’s future security and the strategic choices it faces towards 2040.

ESPAS (European Strategy and Policy Analysis System) brings together nine EU institutions to cooperate on strategic foresight and strengthen the EU’s capacity to anticipate and prepare for long-term challenges.

The recording of the conference, including Emil Boc’s intervention in the afternoon session, can be watched on the ESPAS conference website. If you would like to learn more about the CoR’s strategic foresight activities, visit our dedicated website.