Maupertuis launches European Alliance for Mountains: a call for recognition, investment and territorial justice
On 14 May, Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis, President of the Corsican Assembly and president of the EA Group, led the launch of the European Alliance for Mountains, a new cross-institutional initiative aimed at securing long-term EU support for mountain territories.
Initiated jointly with MEP Herbert Dorfmann and supported by Euromontana, the Alliance brings together members of the CoR and the European Parliament to amplify the voice of mountain regions in EU policymaking. For Ms Maupertuis, this initiative marks the culmination of years of political advocacy for territories too often sidelined despite their strategic importance.
“Mountain regions are not asking for privileges or compassion: they are simply demanding to be treated in a way that is commensurate with their strategic contribution to the European Union,” Ms Maupertuis said at the Alliance’s launch. “With this Alliance, we have a clear ambition: to make our specific characteristics a lasting part of Europe’s political and budgetary priorities.”
As the CoR’s rapporteur on the post-2027 EU budget, Maupertuis has consistently emphasised the need to safeguard territorial cohesion and ensure that regions facing permanent natural constraints, such as mountains and islands, are not left behind in future policy and funding frameworks. The Alliance reflects this conviction and seeks to place the principles of Article 174 of the EU Treaties at the core of the next European mandate.
Mountain areas cover 30% of Europe’s territory and are home to 13% of its population. They provide vital public goods, from biodiversity and water reservoirs to sustainable agriculture and cultural heritage. Yet they remain structurally disadvantaged in terms of access to services, infrastructure and economic opportunities. For Maupertuis, these challenges must be met with a political response that guarantees a right to remain: the right for citizens to live, work, and thrive in mountain regions with equal access to services and opportunities.
The launch event brought together CoR members and MEPs representing upland areas to reflect on the future of EU support for mountain territories, including through the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The Alliance also aims to stimulate concrete cooperation between the EU institutions and to secure mountain-sensitive strategies aligned with the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas.
Presenting the initiative later that day during the CoR plenary, Ms Maupertuis reiterated its dual ambition: “The European Alliance for Mountain Areas that we launched this morning is intended to be a space for cooperation, but also a call for recognition.” She underlined the essential role of mountain regions in safeguarding biodiversity, agriculture and cultural heritage across Europe, “whether in the heart of Europe like the Alps, on islands like Corsica, or in remote outermost regions.”
Ms Maupertuis concluded with a powerful appeal: “Apply Article 174 of the Treaty. Make our realities visible. And give our citizens the right to remain, to thrive, and to shape Europe’s future from the mountains. Climate change will open new challenges, we need to give mountain citizens opportunities to live.”