" I welcome the new swing to the proposal of the European Commission on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and I thank in particular the role played by the EPP Group in the European Parliament in this positive changes. However the revised Commission proposal does not provide a ring-fenced budget for all categories of regions, nor provisions for a stand-alone Cohesion Policy. The proposed new obligation for Member States to justify the impact on cohesion if they provide less than 25% of the current allocation for more developed and transition regions in their country goes in the good direction in order to confirm that cohesion policy has to be delivered to all European regions" said Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR and CoR rapporteur on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), reacting to the Council and Commission statements on “The new 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework: architecture and governance” held at the European Parliament.
Rautio underlined that negotiations have only just started and that the CoR will remain engaged throughout the whole process to ensure that ultimately all regions benefit from Cohesion Policy. "This is essential in order to reach the huge objectives of EU - competitiveness, defence and fair transition."
She stressed that absorption rates and the quality of spending will improve if regions are fully involved in monitoring committees and if they can effectively oversee their respective Member States in carrying out a comprehensive regional check of their NRPPs.
She welcomed President Von der Leyen opening to the role of the regions, yet she asked for more clarity in how the regions will be involved and how the regional check will concretely unfold. She also expressed the need to secure that a mainstream of social inclusion thought the funds is part of the reform.
Moreover, the EPP-CoR welcomes the progress already made in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and fisheries, in particular:
• the ring-fencing of EUR 2 billion for fisheries, and
• the new 10% rural target.
Rautio, who serves as a Member of the Hämeenlinna City Council, will present her opinion on the MFF at the next COTER commission meeting on 2 December at the CoR. The opinion stresses that Cohesion Policy must not be dismantled or merged with other centrally or nationally managed instruments.
Rautio stressed: “We will be co-operating with the Parliament and Member States to further improve the proposal, as Cohesion Policy is more than a budget, it is about democracy; it is not an emergency tool, it is a long-term investment allowing all to compete; it is the instrument to make Europe materialise on the ground.”
Yesterday, Rautio also addressed the REGI Committee in the European Parliament, underlining that Cohesion Policy for 2028–2034 must continue to rest on what she described as its “golden principles”: shared management, multi-level governance, the partnership principle and a strong place-based approach.