During the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), members of the EPP-CoR Group engaged in a debate on the Priorities of the Polish Presidency, with the participation of Jan Szyszko, State Secretary at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy of Poland.
Opening the debate, Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR, welcomed the new momentum in Poland’s leadership within the European Union. She noted that Poland had recently emerged from a challenging period, during which the rule of law, justice, and media freedom had been called into question. This period had significantly impacted Poland’s regions and cities, which stood firmly in defense of democratic values—often facing arbitrariness even in accessing EU funding.
“We, as the EPP, are glad and proud that this period in Poland has ended. And I applaud the efforts of my Polish colleagues who stood strong. Today, Poland is an example for the entire EU. We in the CoR strongly support your priorities and vision for Europe,” President Rautio stated. Rautio also spoke about the need to enhance civil protection and disaster resilience. As local and regional authorities are often on the frontlines of crisis response, she emphasized the importance of providing adequate tools and European support to build resilience effectively. “We not only need to have the tools and European support to build resilience, but we also need to be closely engaged in the design of policies. Together, we should ensure that preparedness and civil protection are localized to address the specific needs of our municipalities and regions,” she added.
Olgierd Geblewicz, President of the West Pomerania Region, emphasized the growing importance of security in the European Union over recent decades. He highlighted the key role of regional authorities in ensuring security, particularly in the area of health, where local and regional authorities (LRAs) are responsible for delivering essential services. He underlined the necessity of a multi-level approach: “We need to build a society that is resilient in the face of climate and military crises, and this cannot be achieved without the involvement of local and regional authorities.”
Decentralization of Cohesion Funds for Better Implementation
Milan Majerský, Chairman of the Prešov Self-Governing Region, highlighted the need for greater decentralization in the management of EU cohesion funds. Currently, only 130 out of 340 EU regions directly manage these funds, while the majority—including Slovak regions—rely on central management by national ministries. “Experience shows that regions with greater powers in managing European funds are more effective in implementation and achieve better results, as is the case in Poland,” he noted. He called on the European Commission to support increased decentralization of cohesion and other funds, following the example of Polish voivodeships, and to strengthen the direct access of regions to EU financial instruments.
Rastislav Trnka, President of the Košice Self-Governing Region, also emphasized that regions manage the majority of cohesion funds and that this approach has proven successful. He pointed to Poland as a positive example. In Slovakia, discussions on this issue have recently been initiated, and he welcomed this development. He stressed that this debate must also take place at the EU level to ensure that regional voices are heard in shaping the future of cohesion policy.
Igor Andrović, Prefect of Virovitica-Podravina County, emphasized that cohesion policy is a key mechanism for creating new jobs and strengthening territorial cohesion, particularly in vulnerable areas. He stressed that for the policy to be more effective, bureaucratic procedures must be simplified.
Birgitta Pallauf, President of the Salzburg State Parliament, expressed strong appreciation for the security-focused priorities of the Polish Presidency. However, she stressed the pressing need to reduce excessive regulations and the bureaucratic burden faced by regional and local authorities. “We really have to continue on this path. We welcome the Omnibus, but we need more,” she stated, urging further steps toward simplifying administrative processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.