The latest United Cities and Local Governments-PLATFORMA study outlines the main funding mechanisms available to cities and regions, particularly in EU partner countries, to support their local development and decentralised cooperation activities.

It provides hands-on information and tools on financing opportunities under the European Commission’s new Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF).

The study includes actionable recommendations for raising the profile and strengthening capacities of local and regional governments to access the EU funding mechanisms.

“Despite the significant commitment demonstrated both at the political and programmatic levels, there is still a mismatch between the type of capacity needed and the funding that actually reaches local and regional governments and their associations in the ground”, writes Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of UCLG in the forward of the study. “There is also a significant gap in the commitment of the European Union joint policymaking and the policies promoted by the Member States individually and within the context of other international institutions.”

This publication is available in English, French and Spanish.

UCLG is the largest organisation of local and regional governments in the world. The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is the European section of UCLG and the lead partner of PLATFORMA, the pan-European coalition of cities and regions – and their associations – active in city-to-city and region-to-region development cooperation.