Against the backdrop of Moldova’s pro-European election victory, ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, and mounting security threats across the continent, the first Timișoara Cities Summit brought together mayors, ministers, ambassadors, and EU leaders from across Europe. At this decisive moment, our Group was proudly represented by Gillian Coughlan (Local Councillor from Cork, Ireland) and Ivan Gulam (Mayor of Pirovac, Croatia).

The Summit held on 30 September 2025 in Timisoara, Romania hosted by liberal Mayor Dominic Fritz and co-organised with Eurocities gathered participants from 15 countries, including national leaders such as the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, as well as ministers, MEPs, ambassadors, and leading European city representatives. Local councillor from Cork, Ireland Gillian Coughlan and Mayor of Pirovac, Croatia Ivan Gulam represented the Renew Europe Group in the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) alongside other members of the liberal and democrat family, such as former MEP and current Minister of Investments and European Projects of Romania Dragoș Pîslaru. Coughlan and Gulam, who serve as Chairs of the CoR Working Group on Kosovo and the Joint Consultative Committee with North Macedonia, stressed that enlargement must be pursued both pragmatically and ambitiously, balancing new candidate countries with the long-standing aspirations of the Western Balkans. Enlargement is not only about geopolitics, but about ensuring that local communities feel Europe delivers real benefits in their daily lives.

At a time when drones are not only striking Ukraine but also violating the airspace of EU Member States, the Timișoara Cities Summit underlined a clear reality: enlargement is no longer just a policy debate, it is a strategic imperative. “Enlargement is essential to safeguarding peace in the Western Balkans and preventing the rise of populism. Countries like North Macedonia must be given the chance to join – and to join soon” highlighted Ivan Gulam. The interventions of both Gillian Coughlan and Ivan Gulam revolved around six core messages of our political group:

• Empowerment of Cities: Municipalities must have access to direct EU funding, free from national-level politicisation, to ensure fair and efficient allocation of resources.
• Balanced Enlargement: The process must remain ambitious, ensuring that the Western Balkans are not left behind, while advancing new candidates such as Ukraine and Moldova.
• Combating Enlargement Fatigue: Local authorities are crucial in rebuilding trust, engaging citizens, and countering disinformation in societies where public confidence in the EU is declining.
• Concrete City Partnerships: Cooperation must go beyond dialogue, focusing on capacity-building, exchanges of best practice, and tangible joint projects between EU and candidate-country cities.
• Security and Democracy Link: Cities are on the frontline, whether it is hosting refugees, countering disinformation or safeguarding democratic resilience.
• Shared Prosperity Objective: Enlargement must deliver opportunities for SMEs, mobility, and cross-border cooperation, ensuring shared prosperity rather than new divides.
  

The Timișoara Cities Summit placed municipalities at the center of the enlargement debate, a cause that the European Committee of the Regions embraces through the Working Groups and JCCs with EU enlargement countries. The participation of Gillian Coughlan and Ivan Gulam reflects our Group’s leadership in the process through the dedicated working structures: the Working Group on Kosovo and the Joint Consultative Committee with North Macedonia. At the Timisoara Summit, subnational leaders discussed key questions of security, prosperity, and Europe’s common future. By amplifying such voices of local and regional authorities in the enlargement debate, we can ensure that the EU’s future is built from the ground up – starting with its cities and regions.

The message from Timișoara is clear: the future of Europe is written locally. Enlargement must empower cities, strengthen democracy, and deliver prosperity for all.