At a high-level dialogue on the future of cohesion policy, which brought together representatives of the Member States, the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in Brussels on Tuesday 18 November, many participants considered the concessions made by President Ursula von der Leyen on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034 to be insufficient (see EUROPE 13749/2).
At the event, the CoR’s elected representatives criticised the European Commission’s proposals on post-2027 cohesion policy, in particular the excessive centralisation resulting from the ‘National and Regional Partnership Plans’.
Siegfried Mureșan (EPP, Romanian), the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the MFF, stressed that cohesion policy was not just an instrument of solidarity, “it also strengthens our economy”. The changes recently proposed by the Commission, after the European Parliament threatened to reject the proposals, represent more than a political statement, but do not clearly modify the proposals on the table, assessed the rapporteur (see EUROPE 13750/1).
He spoke of “significant progress”, particularly in terms of the role of the regions and funding. “We will begin legislative work on this new basis”, said Mr Mureșan.
Monika Sikora, Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry for Regional Policy, reaffirmed that cohesion policy must “remain open to all regions”, as laid down in the European treaties. She stressed the importance of preserving the model of multi-level governance and partnership, while insisting on the need to listen to the regions. For Monika Sikora, cohesion policy is “one of the EU’s greatest success stories”. According to Poland, it has helped to reduce disparities between regions, support the green and digital transitions and improve living standards across Europe.
The Secretary of State called for a “search for common sense” and for European policy to be seen as “a reliable instrument for bringing citizens closer” to the EU, in order to “build a stronger and more just Union”. Monika Sikora reiterated Poland’s full support for the efforts of the ‘Cohesion Alliance’ and the European Committee of the Regions to keep this policy “at the heart of the European project”. Finally, she recalled that a “strong cohesion policy means a strong Union”.
Peter Berkowitz, Director for Policy in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, spoke of recent concessions, including the introduction of regional monitoring to check that regional and local authorities are fully involved in drawing up ‘national and local partnership’ plans.
In his view, regional authorities will now be able to communicate directly with the Commission, strengthening their role at all stages of the plans. The Commission is also proposing sufficient guarantees to ensure the continuity of investment in regions in transition, by means of a ‘safety net’. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)