Meeting for a high-level conference on Thursday 16 March, the Cohesion Alliance (see EUROPE 13041/7) launched a consultation for local and regional authorities. They will be invited to express their views on the role and architecture of cohesion policy after 2027.
This “reflection process” will continue throughout the year and is intended to be “as inclusive as possible”, explained Emil Boc (EPP, Romania), chairman of the European Committee of the Regions’ (CoR) commission for territorial cohesion. “We have to prepare for the future, and to acknowledge that, in the European Union, cohesion policy is not a technicality, it’s a political priority.
The action consists of two calls for contributions: one to gather feedback (https://aeur.eu/f/5vz ), the other to feed a communication campaign (https://aeur.eu/f/5w0 ).
More cohesion
Composed of the CoR, local elected representatives and various stakeholders, the Alliance campaigns for the recognition of cohesion as a fundamental value of the EU.
“We need to adapt Cohesion Policy and update it, but it is very important to not become hostage of the discussion about money only. The question should always be what kind of solution we want to face the challenges in front of us”, pleaded Vasco Alves Cordeiro, chairman of the CoR.
“For the future, we want to strengthen this policy to face the major challenges: energy and industrial sovereignty, adaptation to climate change, demographic crisis”, added Younous Omarjee (The Left, French), chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development (REGI).
Multi-level governance
Asked about Italy’s desire to centralise the management of EU funds, Mr Cordero highlighted that “one of the pillars of cohesion policy is shared management”. One of the questions, he said, that could guide the debate on post-2027 cohesion could be whether this policy “is only a matter for national governments, or should European institutions take it as a prerequisite to have different levels of governments involved?” (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)