Members of the European People’s Party (EPP) Group in the European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) disscused the need for a more balanced and inclusive EU cohesion policy post-2027. The debate underscored the strategic importance of rural territories, territorial equity, and the principle of a ‘right to stay’, as pillars for a more resilient and united Europe.
Thibaut Guignard, Mayor of Plœuc-l’Hermitage, France and CoR rapporteur for the opinion “How post-27 LEADER and CLLD programming could contribute to better implementation of the long-term vision for the EU's rural areas”, opened the discussion with a call for more tailored and accessible funding tools: “Rural development must be a core concern for all European institutions. Too often, rural communities feel disconnected from the EU. Through mechanisms like LEADER and Community-Led Local Development (CLLD), we can inject funds directly into rural areas, empowering local actors. Our proposal calls for mandatory CLLD percentages across all EU funds—not just EAFRD—and simplified access for small-scale projects, including pre-financing and lump-sum payments. We must preserve the LEADER success story by giving it the tools and support it needs to grow.”
Ivan Žagar, Mayor of the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica and EPP-CoR COTER Coordinator, emphasised the territorial dimension of cohesion policy as essential for balanced development and EU resilience: “Cohesion policy is not charity—it is about people, progress, and subsidiarity. We must close the growing disparities between and within regions. People must have reasons to remain in rural areas. That requires infrastructure, cooperation, and meaningful partnerships across borders. The resilience of the EU depends on strong rural territories, including for our future security.”
Radim Sršeň, Mayor of Dolní Studénky, highlighted the stark choice facing Europe’s rural areas: “We either modernize our rural areas through a holistic approach, or we allow them to shrink—as we see in the U.S. We must fully integrate into our cohesion policies' the concerns of these areas, or we risk losing them. Cohesion must bring regions together, not leave anyone behind.”
Evangelos Fragkakis, Mayor of Chalki, reinforced the need for sustained support to the LEADER programme, especially in light of the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF): “Many regions face isolation or difficult geography. Yet they are united in the effort to build resilience. We must not draw cohesion funding solely from the CAP. To build a truly resilient Europe, we need rural areas at the heart of development policies, including outermost and peripheral regions.”
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca and COTER First Vice-Chair, introduced the concept of a ‘right to stay’ as a transformative European principle: “If we succeed in establishing the right to stay as a concrete and substantial European right, then Europe will truly become a success story. This directly addresses the brain drain problem by offering people real reasons to remain—jobs, quality of life, and meaning. With EU support, our Metropolitan Train Operator project connects the city to surrounding towns, enabling fast, affordable commuting. People told me: ‘You’ve given us a reason to stay.’ That’s what cohesion policy should deliver—real opportunities where people live. It’s proof that Europe is present, and a strong argument for long-term regional investment, not just in urban centers, but across entire territories.”