How can Cohesion Policy continue to effectively tackle social and economic disparities between regions and support their ecological transition, while giving territories the means to overcome unpredictable crises?
These were the topics discussed on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 June by European local and regional leaders in Sibiu, Romania, at the ‘external’ meeting of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget (COTER) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR).
This meeting was preceded by a high-level conference organised by the CoR in collaboration with the Romanian Ministry for European Investments and Projects, with the support of Sibiu County Council, which enabled an exchange between national, regional and local authorities on the impact of Cohesion Policy and investments (see EUROPE 13207/8).
In Sibiu, the CoR kicked off its work to shape the next Cohesion Policy cycle after 2027. CoR President Vasco Alves Cordeiro and COTER Commission Chair Emil Boc (EPP, Romanian) led an initial discussion with CoR members on how to strengthen EU regional policy over the next decade. These discussions will feed into the opinion on the future of Cohesion Policy for which President Cordeiro and Mr Boc are co-rapporteurs. The opinion is due to be adopted at the CoR plenary session in November, ahead of the European Commission publishing its 9th Cohesion Report.
President Cordeiro said: “We came to Sibiu to discuss the most important policy for the European Committee of the Regions: Cohesion Policy. It helps to make Europe move forward as a whole since it ensures that the benefits of the single market are spread to all cities and regions”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)