During the 164th Plenary Session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), EPP-CoR members participated in a debate focusing on "Local and regional authorities at the heart of a renewed cohesion policy." This session featured Raffaele Fitto, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, as a key participant.
Juanma Moreno, Cor 1st Vice-president emphasised the importance of reducing regional disparities and maintaining a decentralised investment policy: "We must reduce the disparities between regions, and we will continue working towards this goal to maintain our proactive role in the debate and ensure that our policy recommendations are taken into account. Cohesion policy must remain the EU’s main decentralised investment policy. To achieve this, it should shape the Multiannual Financial Framework and guarantee resources for cities and regions to implement EU policies at the local level. We advocate for a budget at least equivalent to that of the 2021-2027 period, as it is essential to strengthening the resilience of our towns, cities, and regions while enhancing the competitiveness of the European Union as a whole. It is crucial to take measures that reinforce multilevel governance, partnerships, and a bottom-up approach, avoiding a centralised and overly rigid model."
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca emphasised the necessity of maintaining cohesion at the forefront of European policymaking. He stated: "The future of cohesion policy is the future of our Europe. We need to emphasise the freedom to stay, as nobody should be forced to leave their regions for economic reasons. We must counter the centralisation of cohesion policy, as this would destroy the essence of this policy. Decentralisation and multi-level governance must be maintained. We must also ensure adequate funding for us to be able to continue bringing about the positive effects of cohesion policy."
Alfonso Rueda, President of Galicia, also stressed the importance of regional involvement in decision-making processes, stating: "Multilevel governance is one of the main strengths of the European Union, ensuring that citizens' priorities are reflected in EU policy. Spanish regions have demonstrated full responsibility in the implementation of the funds, so we demand the maintenance of regional programs. The future cohesion funds should be based on the accumulated experience of regional policy, incorporating the positive elements of the RRF, and not the other way round."
María Guardiola, President of the Regional Government of Extremadura, highlighted the fundamental role of cohesion policy in reducing disparities across Europe. She expressed concern about potential centralization, stating: "Last week we knew with some concern about the European Commission's proposal that, in some way, put that essence at risk by tending towards centralisation. We cannot allow a change in the rules of the game that represents a disadvantage for everyone."
Rastislav Trnka, President of the Košice Self-Governing Region, underscored the need to maintain cohesion policy as a strategic priority: "Partnership, multi-level governance and a place-based approach are not just principles – they are a cohesion DNA that must remain strong beyond 2027. Reducing regional disparities is not just a matter of solidarity, but also a strategic necessity. Uneven development creates tensions and undermines the unity that the EU needs on the global stage. Investing in bridging these disparities is therefore investing in the future of the entire Union."
Bruno Hranić, Mayor of the Municipality of Vidovec highlighted the tangible impact of cohesion policy in his country and the need to maintain local and regional authority in its implementation: "Cohesion policy is one of the most important policies of the European Union and it is responsible for numerous capital investments that have been realised in Croatia in the past period with the help of EU funds. Local and regional authorities must play a key role in creating cohesion policy because they are the ones who best listen to the needs of citizens."
Markus Wallner, Governor of Vorarlberg, from Austria, reinforced the importance of ensuring EU cohesion policy remains accessible to all regions, including highly industrialised ones facing new challenges: "EU cohesion policy embodies European solidarity like no other policy area; yet not only regions most in need or faced with geographic disadvantages have to be further strengthened, but also regions that contribute most to Europe's economic and fiscal strength. As highly industrialised regions are particularly affected by the green and digital transformation and vulnerable to economic shocks and crisis, I am strongly in favour of ensuring that the EU's ‘strong’ regions, which account for a large part of its innovative and economic power, can also benefit from EU cohesion and regional policy from 2028 onwards."
The debate reaffirmed a broad consensus that cohesion policy must remain decentralised, well-funded, and driven by regional needs rather than central bureaucracies. As the EU moves towards shaping its post-2027 cohesion framework, local and regional authorities continue to assert their crucial role in ensuring that policy implementation remains effective, inclusive, and responsive to citizens' needs.