With 60% of Europeans not aware of EU-funded projects in their regions, raising awareness about the EU's commitment to local communities is a key priority when it comes to relaunching the European project. The Committee demands stable funding, better coordination of actors, messages and strategies, as well as more attention being paid to citizens' engagement.​​

Regional development strategies and better communicating EU cohesion policy were the main topics addressed by local and regional representatives during of the 10 July meeting of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget (COTER) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR).

The members of the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) commission for economic policy (ECON) and the main EU territorial associations discussed the local and regional challenges of EU trade agreements as well as their transparency and democratic legitimacy with Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. The debate took place within the framework of a structured dialogue where the Commissioner announced the invitation to the CoR to become an observer to the Advisory Group on EU trade agreements.