SGI Europe at EU Regions Week 2026: Making the Freedom to Stay a Reality

On Wednesday, 14 October 2026, at the European Week of Regions and Cities, SGI Europe, together with the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), organised a policy debate entitled “Making the Freedom to Stay a reality: The role of Services of General Interest in strengthening territorial cohesion.”

Bringing together representatives of the European Commission, local authorities and providers of services of general interest (SGIs), the event explored how access to affordable, accessible and high-quality SGIs can help address territorial disparities, strengthen regional attractiveness and resilience, and ensure that citizens have a genuine choice to remain in the places they call home.

The discussion took place at a crucial moment for the future of European cohesion and investment policies, especially as negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 and the European Commission's Right to Stay agenda.

Opening the debate, Nicola de Michelis (Deputy Director-General at the European Commission’s DG REGIO) highlighted the need for a systematic, place-based approach to translating the Freedom to Stay into a concrete policy agenda, combining investment with enabling reforms across sectors.

During the panel, MEP María Elena Nevado del Campo (EPP, ES) stressed the importance of maintaining cohesion policy as a strong, long-term instrument to support SGIs, tackle depopulation and make every territory attractive. Bouke Arends, Mayor of Westland and Chair of the Dutch delegation to the European Committee of the Regions, and Ethem Pekin, Head of economic policy and sustainability of CER, emphasised that the Freedom to Stay depends on local job opportunities, particularly for young people, alongside affordable housing, skills, quality services and reliable transport connectivity.

The discussion highlighted several key takeaways:

• Freedom to Stay is the natural complement to the Freedom to Move;
• Access to affordable and high-quality Services of General Interest must be reinforced;
• Place-based and multi-level governance is key to make the Freedom to Stay fit for purpose at the local level.

The event reaffirmed the importance of the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay, launched in February 2026 by SGI Europe and its partners. Bringing together stakeholders from different sectors and levels of governance, the Coalition aims to build a shared vision and help develop EU policies that empower enterprises and people to thrive across all European territories.