On Friday 11 May during the annual State of the Union conference at the European University Institute in Florence (see EUROPE 12013), the President of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Karl-Heinz Lambertz, described the draft 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) as an "acceptable" starting point. He was, however, opposed to the re-centralisation of the European Social Fund and the proposal to link the granting of European funds to member states with respect for the rule of law...