Europe’s mayors have firmly stated that EU enlargement is not just a political and economic opportunity but a security imperative for a united and resilient Europe.
As Russia’s war in Ukraine re-shapes Europe’s security landscape, mayors are making it clear that the future of Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans lies within the European family. They also stress that cities, where European policy directly impacts people’s daily lives, must be central to the enlargement process.
However, for cities’ vital role in this process to be recognised, mayors say they must have a role in EU discussions on enlargement, better access to EU funding instruments, and receive EU support to share expertise with their peers in cities in accession countries.
These were the priorities conveyed at this week’s inaugural Timisoara Cities Summit on Enlargement, hosted by Dominic Fritz, Mayor of Timisoara, and supported by Eurocities. The meeting gathered EU officials, diplomats, mayors from countries that joined the EU in past enlargement waves, and participants from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership candidate countries.
The summit came just days after Moldova’s pro-EU party won a decisive election, a key step toward EU membership. It was fittingly held in Timisoara, a city whose own fight for freedom helped Romania gain EU membership in 2007.
Cities’ role in a united and secure Europe
At the summit, mayors adopted the Timisoara Declaration, expressing their readiness to work with the EU and their own national governments to “forge a continent that is whole, free, secure, and prosperous for all.”
The declaration calls on the EU institutions and our national governments to:
- Establish a structured, permanent and concrete dialogue specifically with cities, from both member states and candidate countries, on the future of Europe and the enlargement process. As the level of government closest to people, cities’ insights are crucial for creating policies that work on the ground.
- Strengthen mechanisms for direct EU funding to cities to ensure that investments respond to local realities, such as accelerating the green and digital transitions and strengthening social cohesion, rather than political considerations.
- Launch a dedicated, EU-financed programme for capacity building and the sharing of good practices between cities from EU member states and candidate countries. The NextGen City-to-City governance programme and Erasmus+ should be scaled up to support exchanges for young people and training for municipal workers.
Cities also have to fight for unity, enlargement, and democratic values
Welcoming the declaration, Vasil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia and Eurocities Shadow Commissioner for Enlargement, stated: “We need to focus on the role of cities in being close to citizens and addressing their daily issues, but cities also have to fight for unity, enlargement, and democratic values, which are crucial for the foundations of the Europe we want to build.”
Supporting this position, Dominic Fritz, Mayor of Timisoara, emphasised the importance of cities’ voices in the enlargement process, especially in times when Europe seems fragile or under attack.
“We must send a clear message that cities and their mayors need a clear voice in this process,” said Mayor Fritz. “It is not a coincidence that we have gathered here, especially mayors from Central and Eastern Europe, because voices from this region are still not being heard enough in the hallways of Brussels and Strasbourg.”
Enlargement as a security imperative
During the meeting, mayors emphasised that a strong, united and expanded EU is “Europe’s best shield against aggression and destabilisation.”
They voiced their full support for a “merit-based” path to EU accession for Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans, while also acknowledging the EU aspirations of people in Georgia, Armenia and Turkey.
Vasil Terziev highlighted the enlargement journey of his own city, underlining the opportunities it brought for innovation and modernisation. He said that European mayors have the obligation to “fight for democracy” for all people in Europe.
“When we think of enlargement, it involves helping every country and their cities on the path to EU accession, helping them embrace EU values and put them into practice,” explained Mayor Terziev.
This sentiment was supported by Nicușor Dan, President of Romania, who welcomed Moldova’s election result and stated Romania’s willingness to share its expertise and experience of EU accession with other countries.
The President, who previously served as Mayor of Bucharest, highlighted the importance of cities for sustainable economic growth in countries, while signalling strong national backing for closer cooperation with city governments. You are engines of our aspirations to unify our continent
In a video message, Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, underlined the vital role of cities and their networks in the enlargement process, while marking Timisoara’s identity as a city of freedom.
Thanking Eurocities for bringing cities from across Europe together, the Commissioner stated that cities “make change possible” at the local level, leading on the green and digital transition and protecting the values of European democracy. “You are engines of our aspirations to unify our continent,” she added.
Giving Europe’s cities the support they need
The mayors in attendance noted that local governments are the “engines of European integration,” have a crucial role in ensuring that “citizens’ needs are integrated into the enlargement process,” and are responsible for implementing up to 70% of all EU legislation, including climate policies.
Meanwhile, in candidate countries, cities are at the forefront of driving democratic reform, modernising infrastructure, and demonstrating the benefits of the EU to citizens. However, despite this important role, mayors stated that their potential remains constrained.
Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest, addressed the “critical issue of funding,” saying that when EU resources are frozen due to rule of law concerns at national government level, it is essential to ensure they are redirected in ways that still reach citizens in cities and regions.
He called for “fairer access to resources” and explained that direct funding to cities could “empower them” to deliver on climate, economic and social priorities.
André Sobczak, Secretary General of Eurocities, made it clear that any successful enlargement process must have city leaders and their governments at its core. “As the level of government that is closest to citizens and is central to implementing EU policies, Europe’s cities must be given the funding, support and voice they require,” he said.
Europe’s cities must be given the funding, support and voice they require
Sobczak pointed to the support Eurocities and its members continue to show to Ukrainian cities and their people, through projects such as SUN4Ukraine, which is working to improve the climate neutrality plans of Ukrainian municipalities.
He also highlighted the solidarity mayors in the Eurocities network have demonstrated for Ekrem İmamoğlu, the democratically elected Mayor of Istanbul, who remains imprisoned in Turkey.
In a discussion on the challenges cities face when it comes to implementing the EU’s “ambitious” European Green Deal policies, Tomislav Tomašević, Mayor of Zagreb, explained that his city has invested in decarbonising key sectors such as transport and buildings
He underlined the importance of “involving citizens in a fair transition towards a green and sustainable city,” while addressing social justice challenges such as transport and energy poverty.
From declaration to delivery
Following the success of the summit, Eurocities and its members will integrate the Timisoara Declaration into its outreach and capacity building work.
This will include ongoing support for Ukrainian cities, its broader defence of democratic values and the rule of law in Turkey and across Europe, as well as the training programmes offered to city staff and urban experts through the Eurocities Academy.
“The goal is clear,” said Sobczak. “We must convince the EU institutions and EU member states that they need to work directly with cities and provide them with direct funding so that the next enlargement strengthens the European Union and its democratic values where it matters most, in people’s daily lives.”
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Find out more about the discussions at the Timisoara Cities Summit on Enlargement.
Read the Timisoara Declaration: Cities at the Forefront of a United and Secure Europe.
