In the far North, cooperation isn’t a choice — it’s how life worksIn Europe’s far North, distances are long, winters are dark, and challenges are shared.For 25 years, communities across the Northern Periphery and Arctic have shown what cooperation really means: not slogans, but practical solutions that make everyday life possible — from healthcare and digital services to clean energy, jobs and cultural life.With EU support, small pilot projects have tackled big issues: marine plastics turned into new value chains, digital tools improving public services, renewable energy tested in extreme conditions, tourism models that give back to local communities.What makes this work isn’t funding alone.It’s people — local authorities, entrepreneurs, researchers, young people — turning cooperation into progress.At Europe’s northern edge, cohesion isn’t abstract.It’s lived, built slowly, and sustained by trust.#NorthernPeriphery #ArcticLife #Cooperation #PeopleFirst
Why the future of Europe needs strong, thriving rural communitiesWhen we talk about Europe’s future after 2027, it’s easy to focus on big cities, big industries, big transitions.But the truth is simple: Europe won’t move forward if its rural areas are left behind.Rural regions are home to farmers, families, craftspeople, small businesses, local traditions, natural landscapes — and an enormous amount of innovation that often goes unnoticed.What this debate highlights is the need for a future framework that truly works for rural people:๐พ access to services that many take for granted๐ transport and digital connections that actually let people participate in modern life๐ผ opportunities for young people so they don’t feel obliged to leave๐ฟ support for land, landscapes and climate resilience๐ช strong local economies built around what rural communities do bestIt’s not about nostalgia or idealising the countryside.It’s about recognising that rural areas matter — not just culturally, but economically, socially, and environmentally.A strong rural dimension means:fair opportunities, real choices, and the feeling that your community has a future.And as discussions begin for the post-2027 EU framework, one message keeps coming back:If Europe wants to stay balanced, resilient and connected, it needs rural regions at the table — not on the sidelines.#RuralCommunities #FutureOfEurope #EUFramework #TerritorialDevelopment #PeopleFirst
Why borders still distort reality — and how data can help fix thatIf you live in a border region, you already know this:the economy doesn’t stop at the border — but data often does.Jobs, commuting, housing, services, supply chains… all work across borders.Yet decisions are still too often made with incomplete or incompatible data, as if borders were walls instead of lines on a map.That’s why cross-border observatories matter.In late November, 21 observatories from across Europe came together in Brussels to do something very concrete: compare how they collect data, how they make it understandable, and how it can actually help decision-makers improve life in border regions.What they found is telling:๐ data exists — but it’s fragmented๐งฉ national systems don’t talk to each other๐ท labour markets are shared, but rarely analysed together๐ huge economic and social potential remains hiddenDespite very different geographies, the challenges were almost identical. And so was the conclusion: working alone doesn’t work.These observatories — many built with EU support — show that when data is shared, harmonised and visualised across borders, it becomes more than numbers.It becomes a tool to understand reality — and act on it.Because better data doesn’t just inform policies.It helps border regions unlock what they already are: shared spaces of opportunity.#BorderRegions #DataForPeople #CrossBorderLife #TerritorialReality
What happens when cities on opposite sides of the world start talking to each otherFood waste in Vicenza.Traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur.Clean energy ambitions in Sofia.A blue economy taking shape in Tierra del Fuego.At first glance, these places have nothing in common. And yet, they’re dealing with the same questions:How do we move people better?How do we waste less?How do we protect our coasts?How do we build a future that actually works for our communities?That’s where the IURC Programme comes in.With EU support, city leaders from across Europe, Asia, Latin America and beyond are connecting — not to exchange speeches, but to share what works. What failed. What can be adapted. What can be done together.In Barcelona this November, more than 240 people from 130 cities spent three intense days doing exactly that: sitting together, comparing notes, shaping ideas that will turn into real pilot projects over the next two years.The results already speak for themselves:๐ smarter parking in Indian cities๐ซ climate-resilient schools in Chile๐ floating infrastructure in Belize๐ง water pollution solutions in BangkokWhat makes this powerful isn’t scale — it’s relevance.Cities don’t need perfect models. They need practical answers, learned from others facing the same reality.@IURC shows that when local problems are shared globally, solutions become stronger — and communities benefit.#Cities #LocalSolutions #GlobalCooperation #UrbanFuture
๐ Join the Education for Climate Coalition!Be part of a European community driving climate action through education. The Education for Climate platform connects educators, learners, organisations, and innovators across Europe.๐ Community platform: https://education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu/community/✅ How to get started: https://education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu/community/topic/everything-you-need-know-get-started๐Create an EU Login and register for an onboarding session to become a verified member.๐ก️Once verified, you can create challenges, post events and news, and engage with communities.๐Check the guides to learn how to: build your profile, share content, and host events.๐ข Stay informed๐ Join the Community Bulletin-Board and๐ฉ subscribe to the Education for Climate Newsletter (E4C) for updates, opportunities, and stories from across Europe.
Looking for people who believe design, art and community can change the way we liveThe New European Bauhaus Prizes 2026 are taking shape — and they’re looking for experts who care about beautiful, sustainable and inclusive ways of living.This call isn’t just for academics or traditional design experts.It’s open to people who understand how creativity, community work, architecture, culture, circularity, or social innovation can make life better in our neighbourhoods.If your work touches on:๐จ design or architecture๐ฑ sustainability, circularity or nature-based solutions๐️ community projects or inclusion๐ง crafts, materials or innovation๐ก creative ways to rethink spaces…then your voice might be exactly what the New European Bauhaus prizes need.Being part of the expert panel means helping identify the projects that truly reconnect people, places and the planet — with EU support, of course.If you believe in solutions that feel good, do good, and look good, this call is worth a look.Deadline: 1 January 2026#NewEuropeanBauhaus #Creativity #Design #Sustainability #EUFunds
From Abandoned Tracks to On-Demand TransportIn many rural areas, buses have disappeared, trains no longer run, and people are left with no real mobility options. Old railway lines sit unused while villages gradually lose their connection to the rest of the region.MONOCAB OWL shows that it doesn’t have to be this way.Imagine a small, gyro-stabilised cabin gliding along old single-track railways — autonomous, on-demand, quiet.As flexible as a cab, as efficient as a train.And designed so rural communities are no longer left behind.This isn’t just about transport.It’s about access to services, opportunities, and the simple right to stay, work, and thrive where you live.A clever idea that puts rural regions back on track — literally and figuratively.#REGIOSTARS 2025 Winner — with #EUFunds support.
What EU support really looks like in Portugal’s regionsWhen you look closely at the projects supported across the North of Portugal, the Algarve and the Azores, a pattern appears: they all make everyday life easier, safer and more hopeful for local communities.In the North, renovated cultural spaces and innovation hubs are giving small towns a new sense of purpose. These places bring people together — students, entrepreneurs, families — and help local talent grow instead of leaving.In the Algarve, climate and water-management projects are making a direct difference for people who live with droughts and coastal risks. Reliable water systems and stronger coastlines mean more stability for families, farmers and small businesses.And in the Azores, investments in mobility, education and research are opening doors that didn’t exist before. Young people can train, learn, and plan their future without feeling they need to move away from their islands.Across all three regions, the added value is clear:EU support becomes meaningful when it strengthens the daily life of the people who call these places home.#EUinmyRegion #Portugal #Communities #PeopleFirst #EUFunds
Violence against women must end, now!This nonverbal Signal for Help is a way to discreetly communicate when you need help.But, of course, a hand sign isn’t enough.The EU is working to eradicate it through:๐น Stronger support and protection for survivors, with more shelters, 24/7 helplines, and easier ways to report abuse safely๐น Awareness and prevention campaigns focusing on consent, early intervention, and empowering bystanders to act safely๐น EU-wide laws that criminalise forced marriage, cyber-abuse, and female genital mutilation๐น Binding commitments to prevent violence, protect victims, and hold offenders accountable through the Istanbul ConventionFor a world where women can live free from fear ๐งก
Ready, set, GROW ๐ฅธ Movember is here!This month is all about raising awareness of men’s health, especially prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention. ❤️๐ฉนEarly detection saves lives! The EU is taking action:๐️ Through its Beating Cancer Plan, improving access to cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and care๐️ With the EU-funded PRAISE-U project, working to ensure early detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer๐ With a comprehensive approach to mental health, supporting wellbeing across all different areas of life.
๐ Nantes roule vers l’avenir : une mobilitรฉ douce au service des habitantsEt si les transports du quotidien devenaient plus accessibles, plus verts et plus agrรฉables ? C’est le pari de Nantes Mรฉtropole, soutenu par plus de 30 millions d’euros de fonds europรฉens, pour moderniser en profondeur son rรฉseau de transport :๐น Modernisation de 3 lignes de tramway๐น 46 nouveaux tramways spacieux, confortables et lumineux๐น Un nouveau pรดle multimodal ร la Babiniรจre๐น Extension de la ligne 1 jusqu’ร La Chapelle-sur-Erdre๐น +38 km de pistes cyclablesObjectif : rรฉduire les รฉmissions de CO₂, dรฉsengorger la ville et faciliter la vie de tous les usagers, qu’ils soient piรฉtons, cyclistes, รฉtudiants, parents ou personnes ร mobilitรฉ rรฉduite.C’est une transformation concrรจte, pensรฉe pour les citoyens et pour la planรจte.Un exemple pour d'autres villes ailleurs ?#TransitionJuste #MobilitรฉDouce #politiquedeCohรฉsion #Nantes #TransportsDurables #EUinmyRegion #TerritoiresEnTransition
Empowering young voices in Europe’s most remote regionsHow do you bring lasting change to some of the most remote parts of Europe?๐ By giving young people the tools, trust, and funding to lead.In the Northern Periphery and Arctic region, Cohesion Policy is supporting youth-led action through the “Our Voices” pilot initiative. From Finland to Iceland, young changemakers are taking the lead on climate, mental health, digitalisation, and local development.๐งญ These projects prove that place-based policy works best when it’s people-powered — especially when the people are young, engaged, and ready to shape their region's future.๐ฃ Discover how EU funding is turning ideas into action, even at the edge of Europe
๐ข Big news for accessibility in Europe! The European Accessibility Act is now in force, making life easier for millions of people living with a disability or reduced mobility. What’s changing? ✔️ More accessible products and services across the EU ✔️ Easier access to transport, education, and job opportunities ✔️ Better prices through fairer competition ✔️ More jobs for accessibility experts Things like smartphones, computers, e-books, banking, transport, and online shopping must now follow common accessibility rules across the EU. Together, we’re shaping a Europe where inclusion is a standard, not an option!
This week, we are celebrating the birthday of Erasmus! ๐ Erasmus is… learning to ride a bike, music, making a new home for yourself, making friends and so much more… as these stories tell us.Since its launch, Erasmus+ has empowered millions to learn, train, teach, volunteer, and grow across Europe and beyond. ๐✨ It brings people together, enriches communities, and changes lives. Here are 12 life-changing Erasmus stories:#ErasmusPlus
๐ง๐ง๐ง Water is life. But we can no longer take it for granted.Floods, droughts, forest fires and pollution are becoming more frequent across Europe. Climate change is already affecting our health, ecosystems and economy.With the European Water Resilience Strategy, European Commission aims to ensure that by 2050, Europe becomes a sustainable, smart and competitive water-smart economy. We want water in the EU to be:✔️ Clean and affordable for all✔️ Used efficiently across sectors✔️ Protected and restored as part of a healthy water cycle✔️ Managed in a way that strengthens resilience and competitivenessTogether with EU countries, regions, cities, businesses and people, the EU working to manage climate impacts and reduce water-related risks.