Cohesion Policy must keep regions and cities at its heart to fight disparities

Cities and regions call for a reformed Cohesion Policy that keeps supporting all territories, boosts investment and tackles the discontent among citizens.

Local and regional leaders are concerned with the tendency to design EU policies with a centralised approach in the name of efficiency, which are unsuccessful in tackling specific territorial needs. As stressed by the report on the future of the single market presented today by Enrico Letta to EU national leaders, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) reconfirmed the pivotal role of Cohesion policy in an urgent resolution adopted unanimously on 18 April. The CoR also underlined the key role of Cohesion Policy in supporting communities towards the green, digital and demographic transitions, thus fighting the rising discontent of those who feel left behind, particularly in rural areas.

In view of the European elections and after the publication of two crucial contributions to the ongoing debate on the future Cohesion Policy – the European Commission's 9th Cohesion Report and the conclusions of the Group of High-Level specialists on the future of Cohesion Policy – local and regional leaders set red lines needed in order not to undermine the effectiveness of EU regional policy.

A reformed Cohesion Policy built on core principles

Lessons learned from the use of new instruments such as the post-pandemic Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) – which is worth nearly € 650 billion and is managed at European and national level – should be used to improve the efficiency of Cohesion Policy without questioning the successful multi-level governance model of Cohesion Policy and its nature as a long-term investment policy.

CoR's members stated that the much-needed reform of Cohesion Policy post 2027 – when the current programming period will be over – must reinforce, not undermine, the core principles that have made this policy the main EU's tool for addressing territorial disparities and vulnerabilities.

These core principles are: the shared-management model, which ensures that the responsibility of delivering the policy lies with European Commission, Member States and regions; support for place-based solutions; the principles of additionality (cohesion funds should complement, not replace national public investments), partnership (which implies close cooperation between EU, national, regional and local authorities) and multi-level governance. Moreover, Cohesion Policy should continue to support all regions in Europe, not just the less-developed regions.

Finally, the urgent resolution emphasises the contribution of Cohesion Policy to the integration, economic development and capacity-building of new candidate or potential candidate countries of the European Union.

Quotes

The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Vasco Alves Cordeiro, said: "Cohesion Policy as we know it is now threatened. In times of crises, increasing disparities and persisting divisions, the European Union needs more than ever a policy to support all regions and cities able to tackle the realities of territories. Enrico Letta's report on the future of the Single Market makes the strongest possible case regarding the need of a stronger Cohesion Policy in the future. Let us now do speak beyond those who are already convinced of the merits of Cohesion Policy so that it remains the main investment tool of the EU managed and delivered together with regions and cities."

The Chair of the CoR's commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) and Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Emil Boc (RO/EPP), said: "We are at crossroads and our message is clear: cohesion policy is working and it must be maintained. A reformed Cohesion Policy post 2027 must remain the main EU investment tool and must build on the principles supporting of place-based and tailor-made solutions, of partnership and multi-level governance. Cohesion Policy and the Single market are the two sides of the same coin. Cohesion Policy is a fundamental pillar of the Single market and guarantees that all regions could equally benefit from it."

More information

A new consultation among representatives of regions and cities confirmed that their involvement in the RRF remains inadequately weak, and that the territorial allocation of funds is broadly perceived as unfair and not effective in enhancing territorial cohesion. The consultation was conducted jointly by the CoR and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), collating the views and experiences of 36 organisations representative of a variety of subnational government levels across 22 EU Member States. Press release. Complete findings of the consultation.

President Cordeiro and Mr Boc were recently appointed as co-rapporteurs of the opinion which will assess more in dept the 9th Cohesion Report and the conclusions of the group of High-level specialists on the future of Cohesion Policy. They were previously co-rapporteurs on the opinion on the future of Cohesion Policy, adopted by unanimity at the Plenary session in November 2023. 

During the 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities, held in March in Mons (Belgium), the CoR, together with the founding partners of the EU-wide #CohesionAlliance, launched a joint call to the European institutions and national governments to keep Cohesion Policy as the main pillar of the EU's development model over the next decade. Sign the joint call.

Contacts:

Monica Tiberi – Spokesperson of the President
Tel: +32 479 51 74 43  
Monica.tiberi@cor.europa.eu 

Matteo Miglietta
Tel. (+32) 470 895382
Matteo.miglietta@cor.europa.eu​