The next EU budget is ultimately a choice about the future Europe wants to build, EPP local and regional leaders stressed during a discussion on the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), chaired by Sari Rautio (FI/EPP), President of the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions, in Bucharest. The exchange focused on how Europe can finance growing priorities while preserving a strong Cohesion Policy and ensuring that regions and cities remain directly involved in deciding how European investment is planned and delivered. Members raised concerns about greater centralisation of EU funds and called for sufficient resources, flexibility and a strong territorial dimension in the next MFF.
Referring to the speech of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Emil Boc (RO/EPP), Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, stressed that the debate goes beyond individual programmes and financial allocations. “Our budget is our future. This is about what future we want for Europe,” said Boc.
Jesús Gamallo Aller (ES/EPP), Director-General for External Relations and Relations with the European Union at the Government of Galicia, highlighted the common position of Spain's regions in the MFF debate and stressed that cohesion, competitiveness, defence and other European priorities need to be addressed together.
Hanna Zdanowska (PL/EPP), Mayor of Łódź, highlighted the importance of Cohesion Policy at a time when security and other new priorities are placing increasing demands on the European budget.
Adrian Teban (RO/EPP), Mayor of Cugir, called for greater flexibility for local and regional authorities so that EU funding can be adapted to the real needs and priorities on the ground.
Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita County Council, made a strong case for maintaining Cohesion Policy, warning that regions facing youth outmigration, poverty and difficulties in agriculture could fall further behind if cohesion investment is weakened. He cautioned that focusing on competitiveness without sufficient cohesion investment risks widening the development gap between regions.
Arnoldas Abramavičius (LT/EPP), councillor of Zarasai District Municipality stressed the need to balance Europe's growing expenditure on security, defence and border protection with continued support for established priorities such as agriculture and cohesion. He also pointed to the challenge of reconciling different Member State positions as negotiations on the next MFF advance.
Frederiek Vermeulen, Member of the Council of the Municipality of Ichtegem argued that greater European investment in security and defence could also contribute to economic growth and innovation. He called for increased EU resources to be accompanied by simplification and reduced regulatory burdens and raised concerns about linking regional funding to country-specific recommendations where regions could be affected by decisions or shortcomings beyond their control.
Mihkel Juhkami (EE/EPP), Member of Rakvere City Council, emphasised the importance of keeping meaningful investment decisions at local and regional level, giving territories the flexibility to respond to their own needs and enabling successful approaches developed locally to be replicated elsewhere.
The discussion underlined a common message from EPP local and regional representatives: Europe's new priorities should not lead to the weakening or centralisation of Cohesion Policy. The next MFF must provide the resources Europe needs while maintaining a strong role for regions and cities and allowing EU investment to respond to different territorial realities. The Bucharest exchange forms part of the EPP-CoR's contribution to the debate on the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework and the future role of local and regional authorities in European investment policy.