EU local and regional leaders to discuss budget reform with European Parliament

Also on the #CoRplenary agenda: EU's Democracy Shield with Commissioner McGrath, international partnerships, and key legislation on resilience.

At its last plenary of 2025, on 10-11 December, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) will develop elements of its three political priorities – cohesion, resilience and proximity – with debates on the EU's long-term budget, safeguarding elections, and international partnerships between cities and regions.

On 11 December, the CoR's members will debate budget reforms proposed by the European Commission with the principal architects of the European Parliament's response, Siegfried Mureșan (EPP/RO) and Carla Tavares (S&D/PT). The CoR, which has rejected reforms that would centralise and nationalise core elements of the EU's budget, including regional development, is currently discussing the reforms in all six of its policy commissions as it prepares detailed recommendations.

Challenges facing local democracy and electoral processes will be centre-stage in a debate on the rule of law with Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection. The debate is framed by the EU's efforts to develop a 'Democracy Shield', which is designed to safeguard democratic processes in the EU, particularly against foreign interference, disinformation, and cyber-threats.

The plenary will start, on 10 December, with a debate on the contribution that sub-national governments can make to the EU's external action. The plenary is being held back to back with the 2025 Forum of Cities and Regions for International Partnerships, which brings together local and regional administrations from the EU, Africa, Asia, and Latin America that are actively developing city-to-city and region-to-region cooperation. Delegates from the Forum will be among external speakers invited to speak at a debate ahead of the adoption of the CoR's recommendations on localisation of the EU’s Global Gateway.

The CoR itself will, on 11 December, sign a cooperation agreement with the Government of Quebec, represented by Christopher Skeete, Minister of Quebec for International Relations and la Francophonie. Areas of foreseen cooperation include the economy, culture, education, women in politics, democracy, environment, and energy.

The EU's local and regional leaders are also expected to adopt 12 sets of recommendations on topics ranging from the EU's Steel and Metals Action Plan, the AI Continent Action Plan and tourism, to resilience-related legislation such as the EU's Preparedness Union Strategy, the Internal Security Strategy ProtectEU, the Critical Medicines Act and the European Climate Adaptation Plan.

A webstream of the plenary session (#CoRplenary) on the CoR's website.

Photos of the CoR's plenary session will be available here.

Details and webstreaming of the 2025 Forum of Cities and Regions for International Partnerships, 8-10 December, is available on the CoR’s website.

KEY PLENARY DEBATES

10 December, 3.05 p.m.: Conclusions on the 2025 Forum of Cities and Regions for International Partnerships and adoption of an own-initiative opinion on the localisation of the EU’s Global Gateway. With MEP Barry Andrews (IE/Renew Europe), chair of the European Parliament's DEVE committee, and Koen Doens, Director-General of the European Commission's DG INTPA, as well as delegates from the Forum of Cities and Regions for International Partnerships.

10 December, 6.00 p.m.: Debate on the Democracy Shield and rule of law, with Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection.

11 December, 9:00 a.m.: Signature of a cooperation agreement between the CoR and the Government of Quebec, with an exchange of views with Christopher Skeete, Minister of Quebec for International Relations and la Francophonie, and MEP Javier Moreno Sánchez (ES/S&D), chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with Canada.

11 December, 10:10 a.m.: Debate on the Multiannual Financial Framework, with MEPs, Siegfried Mureșan (EPP/RO) and Carla Tavares (S&D/PT), co-rapporteurs for the European Parliament's 'Report on a revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world'.

11 December, 12:40.: Debate on EU local matters: Balanced development of Ukraine and EU border regions in the context of Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction.

OPINIONS FOR ADOPTION

• 'Local and regional perspectives in the implementation of the European Internal Security Strategy ProtectEU.' Rapporteur: Anne Rudisuhli (FR/Renew Europe), member of the Bouches-du-Rhône Departmental Council.
• 'European Preparedness Union Strategy.' Rapporteur: María Isabel Urrutia De Los Mozos (ES/EPP), regional minister for the Presidency, Justice, Security and Administrative Simplification, Government of Cantabria.
• 'Critical Medicines Act.' Rapporteur: Erika Von Kalben (DE/Greens), member of the State Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein.
• 'Climate adaptation in cities and regions: building the European Climate Adaptation Plan.' Rapporteur: Matteo Lepore (IT/PES), mayor of Bologna.
• 'The localisation of the EU’s Global Gateway.' Rapporteur:  Jaume Duch Guillot (ES/PES), minister for European Union and Foreign Action, Government of Catalonia.
• 'Action Plan for Affordable Energy – How to secure affordable, stable and clean energy for all EU cities and regions.'  Rapporteur: Hanna Zdanowska (PL/EPP), mayor of Łódź.
• 'Combatting transport poverty to strengthen European cohesion and competitiveness.' Rapporteur: Patrick Schwarcz-Kiefer (HU/NI), member of Baranya County Assembly.
• 'Steel and Metals Action Plan.' Rapporteur: Guillermo Peláez Álvarez (ES/PES), Regional Minister for Finance, Justice and European Affairs, Government of the Principality of Asturias.
• 'Towards sustainable and resilient tourism in the European Union: Strategy for balanced and adaptive management.' Rapporteur: Margarita Prohens Rigo (ES/EPP), president of the Balearic Islands Government.
• 'AI Continent Action Plan.' Rapporteur: Alberto Cirio (IT/EPP), president of the Piedmont region.
• 'Cities' and regions' contribution to the simplification agenda.' Rapporteur-general: Magdalena Czarzynska-Jachim (PL/EA), mayor of Sopot.
• 'EU Space Act.' Rapporteur: Nadia Pellefigue (FR/PES), vice-president of the Region of Occitanie.

Practical information:

Location: Paul Henri Spaak building – Hemicycle, European Parliament, Brussels

Date: Wednesday, 10 December – Thursday, 11 December 2025.

Background material: The plenary agenda, opinions and amendments.

Webstreaming: On the website of the CoR.

Contact:

PresseCdr@cor.europa.eu