On Wednesday 23 September 2026, “The right to stay: Opportunity, services and quality of life across Europe’s territories” was at the centre of the European Committee of the Regions’ External Bureau meeting in Mullingar, Ireland. European, national and regional leaders discussed how access to opportunities, essential services and quality of life can enable people to remain and thrive in the communities they choose to call home.

 

Held under the theme “Thriving and sustainable communities - building a Europe that works for all territories”, the meeting was part of the official programme of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU. It brought together European, national and regional leaders to discuss the conditions needed for people, particularly young people, to remain and thrive in the communities they choose to call home.

 

Access to jobs, housing and opportunities supports the Freedom to Stay

 

The discussion highlighted that the Freedom to Stay is not about limiting freedom of movement. Rather, it is about ensuring that people have a real choice about where and how they build their futures, supported by access to jobs, housing, connectivity, essential services and opportunities. Enterprises need vibrant communities, skilled workers and reliable essential services to grow. When transport, housing, care, energy or digital connectivity become inaccessible, territories can struggle to retain talent and sustain economic activity.

The debate also underlined the importance of avoiding a growing concentration of enterprises, skills and investment in a limited number of territories. A competitive and resilient Europe depends on all territories being able to contribute to, and benefit from, the Single Market.

 

In this context, services of general interest should be recognised as essential competitive, social and territorial infrastructure. Public transport, energy, digital connectivity, postal services, healthcare and care, education and housing all shape the ability of businesses and people to remain and develop locally.

 

The future EU Right to Stay Strategy, alongside upcoming transversal initiatives such as the Multiannual Financial Framework, the EU Circular Economy Act and the new Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights, should support place-based solutions. This requires cooperation between social partners, public authorities and service providers, with local and regional authorities closely involved in identifying needs and shaping investments.

 

A future worth staying for

 

As Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions, stated:

 

“The right to stay is about giving people a real choice about where and how they build their futures. From Mullingar, we are making a simple point: Europe’s future depends on strong regions and communities where people can thrive...A future worth staying for requires investment in jobs, housing, connectivity, services and opportunities, in particular through a strong EU cohesion policy in 2028-2034, and it requires local and regional authorities to have a decisive role in shaping those investments.”

 

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Mullingar Declaration – “A Future worth staying for”, calling for a strong place-based European strategy to ensure that people across all territories have a genuine opportunity to thrive in the communities they choose to call home.