The study aims at analysing how implementing 'active subsidiarity' could help improving the performance of the European Semester (ES) by favouring a more permanent and structured involvement of the Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) in it.
This study provides the CoR with arguments, examples and operational recommendations on how to implement the concept of 'active subsidiarity' in the context of the ES process, with a specific view to promoting the involvement of the LRAs and their representative associations in the ES in the light of the principles of partnership and multi-level govemance.
To this aim, based on the analysis of existing relevant documents as well as case studies covering five countries, the study:

1. provides a picture of how cities and regions, and their representative bodies at country level, are currently involved in policymaking concerning investments and structural  reforms in the context of the ES, identifying issues and challenges as well as good practices, and

2. formulates recommendations to strengthen the LRAs' role in this context, and in particular in the design of the National Reform Programmes, in the light of the concept of  'active subsidiarity' and of the principles of partnership and multilevel governance.

The results of this study will feed into the CoR Resolutions and other documents on the European Semester; it will also feed into the implementation of the Bureau decision of 27.11.2018 on 'Developing Active subsidiarity in the political work of the CoR', in particular, in respect to the goal of 'engaging with the associations of local and regional authorities'.
The study published by the European Committee of the Regions is available here.