Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-002720/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Kountoura (The Left)
Cohesion policy is a crucial tool for reducing disparities and for the economic, social and territorial cohesion of the EU. On 25 June 2025, 149 regions of Europe from 20 Member States sent a joint letter to the Commission President expressing concern about the direction cohesion policy seems to be taking in view of the upcoming presentation of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)[1]. The regions call for the continuation of the decentralised nature of cohesion policy and the place-based approach, with their direct involvement in both the design and implementation of the relevant programmes, through shared management and multi-level governance[2].
Given that the European Parliament has repeatedly stressed in its resolutions its opposition to any form of centralisation reform of cohesion programmes, calling for greater decentralisation, enhanced involvement of local and regional authorities and a more ambitious post-2027 cohesion policy with reinforced funding[3], can the Commission say:
- 1.How will it ensure that the core principles of cohesion policy are upheld in the upcoming MFF, including its basis in the decentralised programming model, the specific needs of local communities, the principle of shared management and multi-level governance, the place-based approach and the enhanced involvement of regional authorities?
- 2.Is it committed to proposing a reinforced, dedicated budget for cohesion policy, with indicative regional resource allocations based on territorial, social and economic criteria, in the next programming period?
Submitted: 3.7.2025
- [1] See https://aeur.eu/f/hn5
- [2] They also express their opposition to any form of centralisation reform that would strengthen centralised management at Member State level, thus jeopardising the objectives and effectiveness of cohesion policy.
- [3] According to its resolution of May 2025 on the ninth report on economic and social cohesion, the European Parliament ‘is opposed to any form of centralisation reform of EU funding programmes, including those under shared management, such as cohesion policy, and advocates for greater decentralisation of decision-making to the local and regional levels.’ By the same token, it calls for ‘enhanced involvement of local and regional authorities and economic and civil society actors at every stage of EU shared management programmes.’ Similar positions have been adopted in other resolutions, such as resolutions 2024/2051(INI) and 2024/2105(INI).