DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 12 October 2026
EU Week of Regions and Cities convenes 5,000 participants to discuss the future of cohesion policy
The 24th European Week of Regions and Cities opens today in Brussels, bringing together nearly 5,000 participants from across Europe under the motto 'Strong Regions, Strong Europe'.
Convened by the European Commission and hosted by Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, in partnership with the European Committee of the Regions, the three-day event is bringing together local and regional authorities, policymakers, project promoters and practitioners, researchers and journalists to discuss the future of Europe's regions and cities.
This year's opening ceremony will feature high-level speakers, including European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, European Council President, António Costa, and the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő.
Participants from all over Europe will exchange views on the role of EU Cohesion Policy in strengthening regional development, supporting the 'Right to Stay' for every EU citizen in the place they call home, and boosting the Union's competitiveness.
Supporting the ‘Right to Stay'
Many regions across Europe are facing the challenge of population loss, due to natural population decline or people moving away. Over the past two decades, one in three Europeans – a total of 149 million people – have lived in a region that has lost population. Supporting the ‘Right to Stay' means creating the conditions for people and communities to prosper where they live, with access to economic opportunities, quality public services, education and skills, and the infrastructure they need, including good transport and digital connectivity.
Discussions during the week, including a high-level session with Executive Vice-President Fitto on Tuesday, and a series of partner sessions on the same day will feed into the preparation of a strategy on the 'Right to Stay' planned for adoption in early 2027. It will follow the Commission's territorial strategies, which address the specific needs and challenges of different types of territories including cities, the eastern regions bordering Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, islands and coastal communities and the outermost regions.
Cohesion and competitiveness, two sides of the same coin
On Wednesday, discussions will focus on how cohesion policy can help build a more competitive Europe. In the 2021-2027 programming period, €220 billion in cohesion funds are already contributing to the priorities of the Competitiveness Compass. The recent mid-term review of cohesion policy also showed how regions and Member States are adapting investments to Europe's emerging priorities. In total, regions and Member States voluntarily reallocated €34.6 billion to areas such as competitiveness, housing, defence, water and energy resilience. Of this amount, €15.2 billion was redirected specifically to strengthening Europe's competitiveness, including by providing vital support for technologies that are essential for Europe's future.
Showcasing results and recognising excellence
The European Week of Regions and Cities is also an opportunity to highlight concrete results on the ground and recognise the people behind projects that are making Europe more cohesive.
This year, a record number of 274 applications have been submitted for the REGIOSTARS Awards, which celebrate the best projects supported by cohesion policy. 25 finalist projects have been selected and will be presented during the Week. The winners will be announced by the Commission at the REGIOSTARS Awards ceremony on Wednesday 14 October at 19:00, which can also be followed via web stream.
The Commission will also award the Megalizzi-Niedzielski Prize to three talented young aspiring journalists. The prize honours the memory of Antonio Megalizzi and Bartek Niedzielski, two young journalists who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Strasbourg in December 2018. The ceremony can be followed via web stream on the same day at 17:30.
For more information
24th European Week of Regions and Cities
Official Opening of the European Week of Regions and Cities
REGIOSTARS Awards
Megalizzi-Niedzielski Prize
Cohesion policy 2021-2027
Mid-term-review of cohesion policy
Quote(s)
Europe is a great place to live, work and build a future. But we are also living through a period of profound change, facing economic pressures, global uncertainty, demographic change and the need to strengthen our competitiveness. Strong regions are essential to responding to these challenges, addressing citizens’ concerns and creating the conditions for people and businesses to thrive. The European Week of Regions and Cities brings together experience, expertise and political perspectives from across the EU. It gives regions a strong voice in shaping Europe’s future. Because strong regions are essential to a strong Europe.
Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms
Commission welcomes adoption of €115 million ‘AGILE' programme for rapid defence innovation
The European Commission welcomes the adoption of the Regulation establishing Programme for agile and rapid defence innovation (AGILE) which will bring disruptive defence technology from the lab to the field at record speed. The new €115 million funding tool will provide dedicated support to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups and scale ups to develop innovative defence solutions and support their uptake.
The programme will operate with an unprecedented time-to-grant of just four months and for technologies to reach defence forces between 1-3 years. It will support between 20 and 30 projects, providing up to 100% funding for all eligible costs. To facilitate quick innovation, the funding will also allow companies to retroactively claim expenses claimed up to three months prior to the closing of the call for applications.
The work programme will cover two main types of activities: mission-driven development of disruptive defence products and technologies and market delivery by helping defence solutions reach the actual markets.
AGILE has been adopted in record time, in less than seven months after the Commission tabled its proposal in March 2026. The swift adoption reflects EU's commitment to strengthen Europe's capacity to innovate.
Russia's war in Ukraine has demonstrated that success on the battlefield relies on new technologies, from drones and autonomous systems to artificial. Europe's ability to develop, test, and deploy new technologies and cost-efficient solutions in weeks or months rather than years is now being tested.
AGILE responds to this need by giving innovative smaller players the support and speed they need to bring promising defence solutions to the armed forces. In practice, the programme will support startups and tech innovators with faster, more flexible funding and allow innovations to be deployed as quickly as possible.
Next steps
The AGILE programme is expected to become fully operational as of early 2027. The Commission is currently preparing the programme's implementation, which will be monitored and assessed by the Council and the European Parliament.
Background
AGILE complements existing EU instruments supporting defence innovation and industrial development, including the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS), the European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP) and the European Innovation Council (EIC). Together, these instruments provide support across different stages of the defence innovation cycle, from research and development to the scaling and uptake of innovative solutions. With entities from Ukraine and EFTA-EEA countries also eligible to participate, AGILE will help bring together a wider range of expertise and experience in defence innovation.
Proposal for a Regulation on establishing AGILE
White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030
Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030
EU Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap
European Defence Fund Framework
European Defence Innovation Scheme Framework
AGILE shows that Europe is eager to lead in defence innovation. I thank the Council and the European Parliament for a swift adoption, which maintains the pace set by the Commission. Helping our SMEs and innovators bring technologies to market more quickly helps not only to bolster Europe’s technological sovereignty but importantly, it keeps Europeans safe. Innovation is key. And we trust that European companies and start-ups can be at the forefront of defence development.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Innovation is at the core of EU defence readiness. Ukraine shows us every day that modern warfare is won by those who innovate fast. We need to bring new players into defence industry and help them turning disruptive ideas into cost-effective solutions that can reach the battlefield quickly. AGILE is designed precisely for this. It makes our defence base stronger and better prepared to address the threats of tomorrow.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space
Read-out by President von der Leyen following her call with President Zelenskyy
Good call with President Zelenskyy.
Fully supported the call of President Zelenskyy for a ceasefire that would protect global food supplies and energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia
The war has entered a new, grimmer phase. Russia is stalling on the battlefield and striking civilians far behind the front lines.
I conveyed our solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
And my full support for President Zelenskyy as he leads the fight for his people's freedom.
Ukraine will be front and centre at this week's European Council.
We will discuss its funding needs for the year ahead and how to mobilise fresh global support.
This week, the EU will also provide further funding for drones and missiles to strengthen Ukraine's defences and protect its skies.
We are also due to open two further clusters of chapters in the negotiations. The momentum is real.
Statement on the International Criminal Court following announcement of US sanctions
The European Union has been a constant supporter of the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is deeply regrettable that the United States has announced intentions to impose sanctions.
The EU will work closely with the ICC to ensure it continues to operate effectively. And we remain committed to working with all 125 States that are parties to the Rome Statute to preserve and respect its independence so that it can continue its vital mission.
As there is a six-month delay before the measures are applicable, there is room for dialogue.
The EU stands ready to take any necessary measures to enable the Court to carry out its work both in investigating and prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity, and to protect the interests of EU operators within the Single Market.
International Criminal Court: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU following the announcement of US sanctions
The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order, of which the ICC is a fundamental part, based on respect for international law. International criminal justice plays a crucial role in holding to account those who violate international law by committing the most serious crimes of international concern.
The ICC does not target sovereign states. Under its foundational principle of complementarity, the ICC only acts if a state is unwilling or unable genuinely to investigate or prosecute individuals responsible for the most serious crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The US has a proud history and tradition of pursuing justice and accountability. The complementarity provisions of the ICC are designed to cater for and recognise the primacy of competent national judicial systems and processes such as the US legal system.
Attacks or threats against the Court, elected officials, personnel and those cooperating with the Court, including civil society representatives and service providers, are not acceptable. This is why the EU deeply regrets the announcement by the United States to impose sanctions against the Court as an institution. While we urge the US also to reverse these latest measures, we welcome its readiness to discuss its concerns with the State Parties to the Rome Statute and take note of the US decision to delay the entry into force of its latest measures. This creates space for diplomacy, with a view to securing their prompt reversal and preventing any further measures that seek to undermine the independence and integrity of the ICC.
The ICC must be able to operate independently, free from pressure or external interference. The EU will continue to provide its full support and contribute to ensure the protection of the Court, its staff and those cooperating with it. The EU stands ready to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the Court continues to operate effectively and fulfills its indispensable mandate.
European and World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October 2026: Joint statement by the High Representative of the European Union and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The European Union and the Council of Europe are unequivocally opposed to the death penalty, in all cases and in all circumstances.
Progress towards the global abolition continued over the past year. Lebanon abolished the death penalty in August 2026. The Gambia and Vietnam reduced the number of crimes punishable by death and Sierra Leone ratified the second optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ruling out execution within the jurisdiction of the State Party. Cambodia, the Central African Republic and Chad all took steps towards ratification. These examples serve as a reminder that change is always possible.
Only 17 countries are known to have carried out executions in 2025, but the sharp increase of executions is alarming. Recorded executions have risen by 78% compared with 2024. Most took place in Iran but there were significant increases in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Yemen. Executions continued in the United States. The executions carried out in China are not reflected in global statistics because of state secrecy, although it is estimated that thousands of death sentences were carried out in the country last year. Belarus remains the only country in Europe applying the death penalty.
Moreover, the continued use of the death penalty for drug-related offences is particularly concerning. Under international human rights law, capital punishment is restricted to the most serious crimes, understood as crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing. Using the death penalty to punish drug production and trafficking does not meet this threshold, nor is it effective. Evidence shows it does not deter crime better than other sentences. The death penalty also removes any hope of rehabilitation and will always carry the risk of fatal miscarriages of justice.
On this European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe call on all States that retain the death penalty to immediately establish a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition. A moratorium should lead to existing death sentences being commuted and the full compliance with international human rights law and standards, pending abolition.
The European Union and the Council of Europe remain resolute in opposing any attempt to reintroduce or expand the death penalty, including in Europe. Alongside international partners, civil society, and legal professionals, we will continue to promote democratic debate grounded in human rights and the rule of law, with the goal of achieving universal abolition. In this respect, the recent World Congress against the death penalty in France demonstrated the pivotal role that the judiciary can play in abolition, as well as the importance of engaging young people. We welcome Morocco’s decision to host the 10th World Congress in 2029.
The death penalty—including the process leading to execution—constitutes inhumane and degrading treatment. We call on all States to embrace restorative justice and join the growing global movement rejecting capital punishment.