This webinar took place successfully on 22.1.2026 with some 60 active participants. We provide below a summary of the presentations and discussion, as well as the full recording of the event and the introductory presentation. Follow-up debate on the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework – 22 January 2026 LDnet Webinar – The debate on how the next MFF can evolve in 2026 The fourth webinar of the LDnet series on “A new architecture of EU … Continue Reading
Proposals for improving the draft regulations accompanying the next MMF
As discussed in the recent LDnet webinar on the way that the MFF proposals are likely to evolve in 2026, there several proposals that are currently being discussed focussed on specific amendments to the draft Regulations. . Some of the proposals are substantial. For instance, the recently published draft CoR Opinion on the NRPP Fund Regulation goes far in ambition and detail regarding the Territorial Development earmark and Regional Check … Continue Reading
Events & activities
Study presentation (17 March 2026): Navigating the European Commission’s MFF Proposal for 2028-2034
Study presentation on 17 March 2026, 15:30 -16:30 CET European Parliament, Antall Building, Room 4Q1 & via webstreaming Navigating the European Commission’s MFF Proposal for 2028-2034 Mapping Risks and Opportunities for Cohesion Policy and Regional Development This study, authored by Eulalia … Continue Reading
IMPACT project: Strengthening community-led local development in border regions
The IMPACT (Interreg Mechanism for Promoting Active Communities and Territories) project is funded and supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and carried out by the OECD. IMPACT brings together up to 30 pilot cross-border regions from Europe and … Continue Reading
OECD workshops on Rural Communication and Rural Proofing
In the context of the discussions on the "OECD Principles of Rural Policy", the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE) is launching two new workshop series focused on two issues that are central to effective rural policy: rural communication and rural proofing. The discussions will … Continue Reading
John Morley (1941 – 2026)
We are very saddened at the news of the death of John Morley. As head of the policy unit in the European Commission's DG Employment, he was the main instigator and driving force for the EU's interest and support for local initiatives for employment and economic development. In his memory, Haris Martinos, who … Continue Reading
LDnet Webinar (4.12.2025): “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development? (part 3)” – In what direction can the next MFF evolve in 2026? – Presentations and recording
This webinar was held successfully on 4 December 2025 with 50 participants. A follow-up event is planned for 22 January 2026 (see HERE). For the full recording of the webinar click HERE For the presentations of the speakers click below. The Commission’s proposal for the MFF: Perspectives regarding … Continue Reading
LDnet Webinar (28.5.2025) – “A new architecture of EU policies and funds post-2027 – what place for local development? (part 2)” – Summary, Presentations and Recording of the event
This webinar took place successfully with 50 active participants on 28 May 2025. The full recording of the webinar is available HERE. The presentations of the speakers are available below. Summary of the event At the time when decision-makers at EU level were preparing to publish the draft legislation … Continue Reading
LDnet online presence
Dear LDnet followers, we’re strengthening our online presence! Follow us on LinkedIn for updates on our news, events, and insights on local development across Europe: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ldnet.eu/posts/?feedView=all We are no longer on Twitter. You can now connect with us … Continue Reading
Articles
LEADER-CLLD post 2027: redefining the place of the EU in local development
AEIDL has published a new discussion paper, authored by Raquel Pastor Carretero and Serafin Pazos-Vidal from AEIDL’s Rural and Territorial Development team. The paper examines how the proposed 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) could redefine the future of LEADER and Community‑Led Local … Continue reading
Expert Voices – From community, for community
In the latest interview in the EXPERT VOICES series, Armelle Ledan, Social Innovation Expert and ELIF Thematic Coordinator, reflects on how EU policy and funding frameworks support, and often limit, Community-Led Social Innovation (CLSI) in practice. She highlights why community-led initiatives still … Continue reading
Chairperson’s report
Following the re-launch of LDnet earlier this year, four groups initiated by the management board of our association are now up and running. The communications group has set up a number of new systems and we now have a members WhatsApp group which you are welcome to join. We have just become active on … Continue reading
The European Commission’s proposals for the future EU budget: Stakeholders’ and experts’ responses
As expected, on 16 July 2025, the European Commission published its long awaited proposals for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the 2028-2034 period and we have published an extensive overview. A debate has already kicked off and we are summarising below the stakeholders' and experts' responses, … Continue reading
6th European Rural Parliament: Rural Solutions to Global Challenges
Neslihan Önder Özen, Alistair Adam Hernández November 5, 2025 As part of the German Delegation, Alistair Adam Hernández and Neslihan Önder Özen from LDnet participated in the 6th European Rural Parliament and served as co-moderators of two workshops on rural movements alongside Tobias Federwisch from the … Continue reading
PUBLICATIONS
Citizen science contributions to environmental risks assessment and management
Using Citizen Science with local communities to address environmental risk is an approach attracting considerable interest and is expected to be the subject of a webinar in the Autumn 2026. This publication, co-authored by LDnet members Joanna Storie and Ghieth Alkhateeb, is an example of the growing number … Continue reading
The new LEADER added value
The transnational LEADER cooperation project “OUR COMMON FUTURE”, involved LAGs from Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal, Bulgaria together with associated LAGs from Sweden, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia and Romania. Lead partner was the LEADER-forum Austria. The project set … Continue reading
Study on Cohesion Policy territorial instruments
The European Policies Research Centre (EPRC) is highlighting the outputs from its recent study on Cohesion Policy territorial instruments implemented in 2014-20, including the final report of the study, instrument fiches and country fiches. The five types of territorial instruments covered by the study … Continue reading
Roadmaps for Administrative Capacity Building – Design and Implementation
The ‘Study on Roadmaps for Administrative Capacity Building – Design and Implementation’ was carried out by t33 and Spatial Foresight for the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission. The study provides an in-depth analysis of the development and implementation of … Continue reading
Cohesion Policy on the Rocks?
This EPRC paper by Mendez, C., Bachtler, J., and Wishlade, F. deals in a systematic way with: The state of play of Cohesion Policy The shaping of MFF of the MFF proposals The national perspectives on reform The EU budget proposals for 2028-2034 The Cohesion Policy regulatory proposals for … Continue reading
Ex post evaluation of the ERDF and CF for the period 2014-2020
The European Commission published on 10 October 2025 a Staff Working Document presenting the findings of the ex post evaluation of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) for the 2014-2020 programming period. The evaluation is built around the five evaluation criteria stemming … Continue reading
An overview of the Commission’s EU budget proposal and the challenges ahead
The Commission lays out the plans before the budget battle Serafín Pazos-Vidal analyses the new EU budget proposal for 2028-2034 presented by the Von der Leyen Commission. Although it is billed as a "radical restructuring," the author warns that it is actually "doing much more with the same," which … Continue reading