The state of regions and cities: EU annual report 2025
Luxembourg: OPOCE, 2025

Every year, the State of Regions and Cities report invites us to pause, zoom in, and take stock of where we stand. Europe is often spoken of in broad strokes — the Union, the market, the continent. But the real pulse of Europe is felt locally: in our cities, towns, and regions, where daily life unfolds and where resilience is tested in very concrete ways. This annual exercise matters because orientation starts with observation. Just as a navigator must know their position before plotting a course, Europe needs to see clearly its regional realities before deciding how to move forward. Only if we understand the challenges and strengths across our territories — the disparities as well as the opportunities — can we choose a path that is both fair and effective. What the report shows, above all, is the richness and diversity of Europe’s local realities. It highlights not only the pressures regions face — from housing shortages to climate impacts, from energy and industrial transitions to demographic shifts — but also the leadership shown by local communities in addressing them. It is this capacity to adapt and innovate that keeps Europe strong.

https://op.europa.eu/ad58c4fb-beb1-11f0-a612-01aa75ed71a1/language-en