May 21, 2025

The following is a press release:

The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Kata Tüttő, and the CoR rapporteur Isabelle Boudineau, addressed EU Ministers gathered for an informal meeting in Warsaw, calling for a strong and modernised Cohesion Policy after 2027.

President Tüttő, who joined the meeting of national ministers in charge of Cohesion Policy for the second time in two months, underlined the reason why Europe and its citizens need a strong and modernised Cohesion Policy to face current and future challenges. “Territories and places matter," she said. "The quest for efficiency gains, for quick fixes, for economies of scale and for excellence, should not make EU policies spatially blind. We need all EU polices to be territorially sensitive. In order to navigate today’s ‘polycrisis’ — marked by geopolitical instability, climate disruption, social inequality and economic uncertainty — Europe must mobilise the energy, ambition, innovation and leadership capacity of all levels of governance: from the smallest communities to mayors of metropolises and leaders of regions. Cohesion Policy is what links them all, and must remain the backbone of Europe’s unity and resilience."

She therefore called on Member States to fight for keeping resources allocated to Cohesion Policy in the next long-term budget of the EU "at least at the same level as the 2021-27 ones".

Isabelle Boudineau (FR/PES), Member of the Council of the French Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine, presented to the EU ministers the content of the opinion 'Cohesion policy as a key engine in achieving EU goals and reforms' for which she is rapporteur. The opinion was unanimously adopted last week at a plenary session of the CoR.

The CoR rapporteur stressed the intrinsic links between Cohesion Policy and competitiveness: "Competitiveness, as seen by Cohesion Policy, is achieved through small and medium enterprises, mid-caps and ecosystems in our territories that allow disruptive technologies to emerge. So let us not disconnect cohesion and competitiveness in the future EU budget and let us rely on territorial engineering to boost competitiveness without widening inequalities."

The CoR President and rapporteur also welcomed the joint declaration adopted by EU ministers, which highlights that Cohesion Policy must continue to play a key role in reducing regional and intra-regional disparities across the EU, and insists on the importance of preserving its "key principles" -- multi-level governance, partnership, and a place-based approach -- "as well as shared management".

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy of Poland, who hosted the informal meeting on behalf of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, said: "We need to anchor development in local communities or we risk becoming less effective, farther from citizens, and with diminished democratic legitimacy of the European project. It's obvious that the role of local and regional authorities is crucial. Regions and cities must be empowered to act not only as implementers but as co-designers of policies."

Background

Video and photos from the informal meeting are available on the website of the Council of the EU.

On 20 May, CoR President Kata Tüttő also took the floor during the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee at ministerial level, organised in Warsaw back-to back with the informal meeting of Ministers for Cohesion Policy. Press release.

On 14 and 15 May, the CoR plenary voted on two urgent resolutions on the next long-term budget of the European Union and the Mid-term review of Cohesion Policy programmes 2021-27. CoR members also adopted an opinion focusing on Cohesion Policy as an engine to achieve EU goals and reforms (rapporteur: Isabelle Boudineau).

Contact

Wioletta Wojewodzka

Tel. +32 (0)2 282 2289

Mobile: +32 (0)473 843 986

wioletta.wojewodzka@cor.europa.eu