On Wednesday 10 September, the European Parliament said that any future reform of cohesion policy will have to “maintain shared management [between Member States and regions responsible for implementation, editor’s note], multi-level governance and a territorialised approach”.
In adopting (513 votes in favour, 111 against and 40 abstentions) the report by Vladimir Prebilič (Greens/EFA, Slovenian) on simplifying cohesion policy funds, the European Parliament called for a modern, decentralised and strengthened cohesion policy.
In adopting (519 votes in favour, 99 against and 48 abstentions) the report by Ciaran Mullooly (Renew Europe, Irish) on the role of cohesion policy in supporting just transition, the European Parliament regretted that the Commission had not proposed the creation of an autonomous ‘Just Transition Fund’ (JTF) in its recent proposals for the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). MEPs therefore called for the JTF to be maintained in the form of a JTF II for the programming period after 2027. This fund should operate according to the principles of shared management and partnership, within the framework of cohesion policy, according to the European Parliament.
In adopting (442 votes in favour, 142 against and 63 abstentions) the report by Marcos Ros Sempere (S&D, Spanish) on the role of cohesion policy investment in tackling the current housing crisis, the European Parliament urged the authorities managing cohesion policy funds at national and regional level to take the opportunity of the mid-term review of programmes for the period 2021-2027 to “at least double” the funding allocated to affordable housing. It also calls for a more balanced approach between new housing and energy efficiency interventions, and for regional and local authorities as well as cities and urban authorities to be given more direct access to EU funding.
With regard to flexibility, Raffaele Fitto, Commissioner for Cohesion, explained that “financial reserves” will allow Member States and regions to address emerging needs or unforeseen shocks in the next MFF. “Regions will remain central – they will be central in the design and implementation of the National and Regional Partnership Plans in the new MFF”, he said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)