- This is the first time in over five years that the Generalitat has presented a position in this European institution.
- Following the approval of the opinion presented by Minister Duch, regional and local governments are calling for a greater role in the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy.
- Duch has announced a pilot programme—resulting from collaboration between the Generalitat, the European Commission, the Platforma coalition and other associations of regions and municipalities—that will put the spirit of the opinion into practice.
The plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) unanimously approved on Wednesday the opinion on the localisation of the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy, promoted by the Government and presented by the Minister for the European Union and External Action, Jaume Duch. It is the first time since 2020 that Catalonia has put forward and secured approval for a position in the CoR.
Global Gateway is a European Commission strategy that promotes public and private investment to support the development of societies and economies in partner countries of the European Union located in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia–Pacific, or Latin America and the Caribbean.
On Wednesday, the CoR adopted what Catalonia has consistently advocated: that regional and local governments should have a structural role in deciding where, how and according to which criteria these development cooperation resources are invested. This approach strengthens policy coherence, democratic participation, and the effectiveness of European investments by aligning them more closely with the real needs of communities.
In his address from the podium of the European Parliament hemicycle in Brussels, where the CoR plenary was held, Minister Duch stated that “if we want an effective European external action, we must be capable of involving local and regional governments—both ours and those of third countries—as strategic and operational partners”.
“To succeed, Global Gateway must not only mobilise investment in high-quality infrastructure; it must also strengthen democratic governance, support human development and create partnerships based on mutual trust,” he added. In this regard, local and regional governments “are indispensable”, Duch insisted: “Our closeness to citizens, our experience, legitimacy and ability to deliver results make the difference between a theoretical strategy and one that truly transforms territories and improves lives.”
And this is not only the case in Europe: “In many partner countries, especially in fragile contexts, these levels of government are the most reliable and functional, as they ensure continuity and accountability.”
With the adoption of the opinion, “the CoR sends a clear message,” the minister affirmed: “Decentralised cooperation is not an optional add-on; it is a strategic tool for building long-term partnerships based on trust and mutual benefit.”
The plenary vote, however, “is not an endpoint,” Duch warned. “It is the moment when the CoR can offer an authoritative and politically significant position on an issue on which we will have to continue working for a long time.”
In summary, the key demands of the opinion are:
- To recognise local and regional governments as strategic partners in Global Gateway.
- To strengthen the participation of local and regional governments in the governance of Global Gateway, including direct representation in decision-making spaces and full involvement in planning.
- To establish a dedicated budget line for decentralised cooperation in the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework, complementing infrastructure investments with human development, institutional capacity and democratic governance.
A proposal shaped by broad participation
The text was opened to contributions from international stakeholders on 8 September during a session of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX). Participants included the United Nations Development Programme, UN-Habitat, the Local 2030 Coalition, United Cities and Local Governments, the Association of European Border Regions, the European Confederation of Relief and Development NGOs, and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, among others.
These actors contributed issues such as alignment with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as mechanisms for evaluation and transparency.
Beyond the CoR, contributions also came from Members of the European Parliament, the Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) and the Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (MENA), the OECD, the United Nations office in Brussels, and other representatives and associations of local and regional governments.
The proposal was approved unanimously by CIVEX on 1 October and has now received final approval from the CoR.
€6 million pilot programme
Minister Duch announced the first initiative arising directly from the spirit of the Government-promoted opinion approved today by the CoR.
In the coming months, the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD), in collaboration with the European Commission’s DG INTPA, the pan-European coalition of cities and regions Platforma, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), will launch a €6 million pilot programme — €2 million provided by the Generalitat and €4 million by the European Commission — in decentralised cooperation within the framework of Global Gateway.
The aim is for the programme to serve as a model demonstrating to EU Member States that this investment instrument can be implemented through collaboration between sub-state entities and European institutions, and highlighting the importance of drawing on local and regional expertise.
The pilot programme will run for three years and will include components of innovation and piloting, knowledge exchange, and policy and advocacy. Its precise content and geographical focus will be defined during the first quarter of 2026.
