The future of Europe - built on strong municipalities

Mehr zum Buch

This book stems from the "Building Administrative Capacity in the Danube Region and Western Balkans (BACID)" program, which aimed to enhance governance structures in the Western Balkans and Moldova, focusing on local governments and European integration. Supported by the Austrian Development Agency and implemented by the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns (AACT) and the KDZ Centre for Public Administration Research, it provides insights from municipal practitioners in the EU regarding the EU's impact on local governance. Key topics include subsidiarity, municipal financing, public-private partnerships, the EU Urban Agenda, water sector trade agreements, and experiences with EU funding. The second chapter examines the European integration efforts of local government associations in candidate and potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans. It discusses the role of these associations in the EU negotiation process and their activities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, including collaboration with the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). Additionally, it addresses EU funds for the pre-accession phase, NALAS's stance on EU enlargement, and the challenges of fiscal decentralization in Southeast Europe.