Cohesion Policy is the key European instrument to ensure the promotion of economic, social and territorial cohesion within the European Union and is one of the most visible EU policies at local and regional level, demonstrating the benefits of Europe to its citizens. Cities and regions are the primary beneficiaries of EU cohesion policy. The future of Cohesion Policy beyond 2020 is therefore one of the key issues for European cities and regions. The European Committee of the Regions is about to position itself on this crucial matter with the drawing-up of its own-initiative opinion on the future of Cohesion Policy beyond 2020, in order to channel the concerns of European cities and regions into the interinstitutional debate on the future Cohesion Policy, which is currently gaining momentum. It is therefore the right time to enter into a wider discussion on how the future Cohesion Policy should be shaped from the perspective of Europe’s cities and regions. PROGRAMME