Tallinn wants a greater say for cities in EU funding decisions

TALLINN - Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp stressed at a Eurocities meeting in Brussels on Wednesday that cities must have a greater role than before in shaping the European Union's next budget for the 2028-2034 period.

According to Raudsepp, the issue for Tallinn is directly about what long-term investments the city can plan and implement in the next period. "European funding cannot be an end in itself. First, it must be clear what the city actually needs, and then suitable financing must be found to implement these investments. Therefore, it is crucial that cities can have a say from the very beginning in shaping the priorities of the next European Union budget," said Peeter Raudsepp.

In discussions on the next EU long-term budget and cohesion policy, Eurocities has emphasized that cities must be involved in both setting investment priorities and their implementation. The network has also highlighted the importance of more direct access to European funding for cities and ensuring that their role is clearly defined in the structure of the next funding period.

Tallinn's potential investments include the development of public transport infrastructure and rolling stock, including the Jarve tram line extension and interchange, civil protection and improving the resilience of critical infrastructure, the energy efficiency of public buildings, and the development of healthcare and digital infrastructure. The implementation of these projects requires long-term certainty regarding funding opportunities.

Eurocities connects over 200 major cities from 38 countries, representing more than 150 million inhabitants. The network formulates common policy positions based on the experience of its member cities and represents them before European Union decision-makers. Tallinn is a member of the Eurocities Executive Committee, and Peeter Raudsepp serves as the organization's treasurer.