Local leaders weigh up plans for simpler, more resilient EU

Members of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) on 22 May discussed the EU's package of bilateral agreements with Switzerland, as well as proposals by the European Commission to simplify legislation, embed fundamental rights into all levels of governance, and shield European democracy from threat.

The agenda reflected political momentum to boost competitiveness, increase democratic resilience, and strengthen cooperation with neighbours.

A Simpler and Faster Europe

The centrepiece of the meeting was discussion of an opinion on EU plans to simplify legislation, which the CoR is fast-tracking for adoption on 2-3 July. Members expressed broad support for the European Commission's 'Simpler and Faster Europe' initiative, stressing that excessive bureaucracy imposes significant burdens on municipalities and business, hampers local investment and job creation, and slows responses to crises. Many emphasised the crucial role of local governments, which are involved in implementing a majority of EU laws, and called for EU rules to be informed by on-the-ground realities, through early involvement of cities and regions and the expansion of mechanisms such as the Fit for Future platform, Better Regulation frameworks, and territorial impact assessments.

To boost competitiveness, the Commission has launched a simplification agenda based on four pillars: improving implementation, simplifying and accelerating processes, enhancing rule-making, and fostering partnerships. A European Commission representative described cooperation with regional actors, notably through the European Committee of the Regions, as central to this effort.

Rapporteur-general Jelena Drenjanin (SE/EPP), member of Huddinge Municipality Council, said: "This is more than slashing bureaucracy. It's about building a framework that enables entrepreneurship and safeguards citizens. And doing it at the clearest, quickest and smartest way possible. Whether it's the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, or extreme weather, we see the need for agile, responsive policymaking. We need to be strategic about what legislation we put forward and when."

EU–Switzerland Relations and Territorial Cooperation  

A day after initialling a package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand bilateral relations with Switzerland, the EU's chief negotiator – Richard Szostak, Director for Western European Partners in the European Commission's Secretariat-General – told members of the CIVEX commission that "while all the cross-border challenges won’t be resolved, we still hope that this package will be a step in the right direction and will support you in your work in your regions".

Mr Szostak was speaking alongside Andreas Schwab (DE/EPP), chair of the European Parliament's delegation responsible for relations with Switzerland, who said that a joint parliamentary committee should emerge from the agreements. He invited EU local and regional authorities to raise issues with the parliamentary committee, saying "it is of utmost importance that we bring together all the concerns that there are to make the life for our citizens as easy as possible".

Political negotiations for the package of 11 bilateral agreements were concluded in December 2024. The agreements must now go through a ratification process, which includes a referendum in Switzerland.

The CoR is currently drafting recommendations that it hopes will ensure that the territorial dimension of the relationship is respected and developed. In their preliminary exchange of views on 22 May, CIVEX members stressed the value of sub-national cooperation through initiatives like Interreg and European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation, and the importance of multi-level governance in implementing bilateral agreements. They identified key sectors for cooperation as transport, energy, and research.

The rapporteur – Matteo Luigi Bianchi (IT/ECR), member of Morazzone local authority – said: "The new agreements offer a unique opportunity to address long-standing cross-border challenges, such as the free movement of people and the rights of posted workers. My opinion will propose how local and regional authorities can contribute to the implementation of new agreements, alongside the development of new territorial cooperation opportunities. Structured cooperation between the local and regional authorities of the EU and Switzerland, coordinated by the Committee of the Regions, could lead to significant results for border regions by promoting balanced and sustainable socio-economic development."

Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law

The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which transposes obligations from human-rights treaties into the context of the European Union, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, and CIVEX members marked the moment with a discussion about use of the Charter at the local and regional level.

The EU Strategy for Applying the Charter of Fundamental Rights, adopted in 2020, aims to boost use of the Charter by EU Member States, EU institutions, justice practitioners, and the general population. The Charter itself focuses on: strengthening judicial independence and the rule of law; ensuring equal access to justice; tackling discrimination, hate speech, and violations of civic space; and promoting awareness and use of the Charter at local and regional levels.

The Commission, which is conducting a mid-term review of the Charter Strategy, said that a pending Eurobarometer poll will show that public knowledge of the Charter remains low. It also remains under-used by legal professionals in public authorities.

The city of Sopot served as a case study of how the Charter can be applied locally. Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim (PL/European Alliance), mayor of Sopot, said that her city is incorporating the perspective of fundamental rights into its development strategies. This affects investments, projects, and budgeting, and has led to the creation of rights-related councils. The municipality also organises training and workshops, to make clear how human-rights perspectives apply to areas such as architecture, social issues, education, and employment. She identified hate speech as a major current issue.

Concerns brought to the fore by other CoR members included gender equality, violence against women, boys’ and men’s mental health, disinformation, and the need to protect institutions responsible for upholding justice.

Preparing the European Democracy Shield

In a debate about the EU's emerging Democracy Shield initiative, CIVEX members emphasised the importance of civic and local-government involvement in any EU initiative aimed at strengthening democracy, arguing that inclusive, engaged communities are more resilient to manipulation and disengagement.

The Democracy Shield initiative, which is currently under consultation, was announced at the start of the European Commission's mandate in 2024 and is expected to frame the EU's work to nurture democracy. It aims at safeguarding democratic processes across the EU, protecting against disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference, harnessing digital and AI technologies responsibly, and strengthening civic engagement.

CIVEX members welcomed the initiative, which is intended to support work done by national governments. CoR members identified disinformation as a particular threat in border regions like those near Kaliningrad, and underscored the role of life-long civic education – through formal and informal channels – in fostering values, engagement, trust and resilience.

Major related pieces of law that the EU has already developed include the Digital Services Act, a new regulation on political advertising transparency, and the AI Act. A new EU-wide, multilingual fact-checking network is also being developed to combat disinformation.