The rapporteur for this opinion, Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis (FR/EA), President of the Corsica Assembly, together with her expert Serafin Pazos-Vidal, would be pleased to hear the views of representatives of local and regional authorities and other relevant stakeholders.
Many voices are underlining that "Cohesion policy alone cannot achieve cohesion" and that the entire EU budget should strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion. The issue is even more important in the context of the ongoing debate on the EU's political objectives, under the next political cycle (2024-2029) and the next post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) that will reflect them. In line with the "do no harm to cohesion" principle, the design and delivery mechanisms of the current 2021-2027 EU funding programs need to be examined to ensure that their impact is more in line with the needs of territories, whatever their types.
The own-initiative opinion will aim at influencing other EU institutions well ahead of the presentation of the proposal for a post-2027 MFF by the European Commission (by 1 July 2025 at the latest).
A working document prepared by the rapporteur will be the basis for discussion at the upcoming 3 July COTER meeting. The draft opinion will be presented for adoption by the COTER commission at its meeting of 17 September, and it will presented for adoption at the 20-21 November CoR plenary session.