“We welcome the focus on competitiveness and security—but not at the expense of cohesion and agriculture. The EU budget must remain European, with Parliament’s scrutiny and regions and cities as genuine partners from design to delivery. Simplification cannot mean centralisation." Were the opening remarks of Sari Rautio (FI/EPP), President of the EPP-CoR Group and CoR rapporteur on the future MFF, during the European Parliament’s high-level debate Invest in what matters – What is at stake in the next EU long-term budget.
The EPP-CoR President called on the European Commission to revise its post-2027 budget proposal so it safeguards cohesion and agricultural policies, guarantees predictable resources under shared management, and keeps democracy and subsidiarity at the heart of Europe’s financial architecture.
Political leaders and civil society warned that any move toward “one national plan per Member State” or national pots risks de-facto re-nationalising EU investment, weakening parliamentary oversight and sidelining regions and cities. Speakers stressed the need for stand-alone, predictable envelopes for cohesion and agriculture, and for the full, practical involvement of local and regional authorities throughout the policy cycle.
Sabine Verheyen, Vice-President of the European Parliament highlighted that “European money requires European democracy. Parliamentary oversight is non-negotiable—and regional and local authorities must be in the room where decisions are made.”
Siegfried Mureșan, European Parliament co-rapporteur on the MFF highlighted the importance of restoring Parliament’s budgetary oversight; anchoring a strong, practical role for regions and cities from programming to implementation; and maintaining clear, distinct European policies for cohesion and agriculture—modernised and linked to competitiveness and security—without re-nationalising EU investment: “Cohesion and the CAP must remain European, predictable and fair—not folded into national pots. Channelling around 40% of the EU budget via national plans without Parliament’s say is unacceptable: European money requires European accountability, with regions and cities at the table so every euro delivers real added value.”
The EPP-CoR welcomes the growing convergence between EU institutions on a partnership-based, investment-driven MFF that marries long-term predictability with crisis agility—while keeping decisions close to citizens. This shared conviction reflects Europe’s strength: European, national, regional and local levels working together to deliver growth, sustainability and cohesion for all.
Sari Rautio added in her closing remarks that regions and cities are strategic partners for the 2028–2034 MFF and that shared management of cohesion, agricultural and rural development funds must be preserved with predictable allocations for all types of regions.