On behalf of the 144 signatory regions, a delegation of some twenty regional presidents and ministers asked three European commissioners on Tuesday 28 January for a strong cohesion policy that remains decentralised after 2027.
The meeting took place in Brussels with the Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu, the Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reform, Raffaele Fitto, and the Commissioner for Budget and Anti-fraud, Piotr Serafin.
On behalf of the 144 regions in question, Alain Rousset, president of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, stated that “cohesion policy is the face of Europe in the regions”.
For Alessio Mammi, the Emilia-Romagna region’s councillor for agriculture and relations with the EU, “cohesion policy is essential at a time when all regions share common challenges”.
The Secretary-General for the European Union and External Action within the Catalan government, Lorena Elvira, said she wanted to influence European policies on social rights, climate and housing, as well as the design, implementation and evaluation of European structural and investment funds.
With regard to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Commissioner Serafin announced that the first policy debate on this issue at College level would take place on Friday 31 January. The proposal on the next MFF will be made under the Danish presidency of the EU Council at the beginning of the next six-month period. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)