Bruxelles – The regions and local authorities they don’t fit lose management of the generous cohesion fundsallocated by the EU through the community budgetif it will be implemented infamous cohesion policy reform for the next budget period (2028-2034). Reform that, according to rumors, the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen he would like to hand over to his designated executive vice president Raffaele Fittowhich will be entrusted with the Cohesion and reforms portfolio, and which would provide for a centralization of the management of European fundswhich would thus pass from the regions to the member states.
“The nationalization” of cohesion policy – a cornerstone ofEuropean integration which, essentially, aims to encourage convergence in the socio-economic development of the different regions of the Union, supporting the less developed ones with greater resources – “it will only weaken our economies, our public services” and the “European project” itself: this is the warning launched by the former president of Royal commission of the European Chamber (the one that deals with cohesion and regional policy) and currently vice-president of the Chamber, the French Younous Omarjee (The Left), during an event focused on cohesion policy in the post-2027 held on Wednesday (2 October) at the European Parliament in Brussels.
All the other interventions at the conference were practically along the same lines, albeit with the distinctions due to the different political affiliations. The vice-president of the hemicycle at the Conservatives and Reformists (Ecr) level, the Melonian Antonella Sbernaunderlined that “cohesion policy has proven to be up to the great challenges of recent yearshas mobilized resources for the territories during the pandemic and actively contributed to the achievement of European objectives and must not lose its long-term vision”. And she said she was “confident” about Fitto’s nomination for Cohesion, maintaining that her party colleague “is capable of sitting down and looking for a solution”.
The non-paper signed by 134 European regions
The debate revolved around an initiative, signed by 134 European regions (including 12 Italian) of 16 Member States, to ask the new Commission for a cohesion policy which, in budget period 2028-2034is supported by a adequate budget and keep a territorial approachrespecting the principles of partnership and subsidiarity. Among the points reiterated most insistently by the speakers there is also the need for a greater flexibility and that of maintaining the model of the so-called multilevel governance (which involves various government plans: European, national, regional and local) as it guarantees commitment and responsibility on the part of all the actors involved and above all the beneficiaries of the projects financed with the funds in question.
Second Emil Bocpresident of Coter commission (the counterpart of the Regi commission within the Committee of the Regions), “the single market is a success because cohesion policy is a success” and the latter “must remain the main investment instrument covering all regions even after 2027″ (currently, the funds attributable to cohesion policies represent approximately one third of the community budget). The elephant in the room would therefore be “the idea of having an (investment, ndr) for each Member State, as it cannot satisfy the different needs of different regions” and would thus end up destroying the very essence of cohesion policy.
Also according to the MEP Giuseppe Lupo (Vice President of the Democratic Party budget commission of the European Chamber) “without cohesion the EU cannot be competitive” and, in line with what the former prime minister indicated in his report Mario Draghithey must be strengthened common investments as done with the NextGeneration Eu. The dem parliamentarian then gave a shout-out to his compatriot Fitto, announcing that “we will verify its coherence” with respect to the program illustrated by von der Leyen on the occasion of the confirmation hearings of the designated commissioners (scheduled forbeginning of November) and that the Democratic Party is also waiting for him in Italy, where the party of the now former Minister for European Affairs is promoting a reform on differentiated autonomy which is “contrary to the EU’s cohesion policy” and “does not help the fight against inequalities”.
Another Italian member of the Social Democrats, Stefano Bonaccinispoke about his experience leading theEmilia-Romagna using it as a warning against the centralization of cohesion policy: “If we want the cities and regions of the Twenty-Seven” to be able to “have their say and decide what the territories’ priorities arewe must avoid letting the Member States even decide the priorities,” he declared. According to him, “it’s one thing financing planning“, regarding which “it is right that there is a discussion between member states, the European Parliament and the Commission to avoid dispersion” of resources, but “as president of Emilia-Romagna I would never have allowed the Italian government – whatever it was – of decide what the priority was for my territory” and therefore “we should ask Commissioner Fitto” what “conditions and sharing” he will guarantee to regional and local authorities during his five-year term in Brussels. He then reiterated that “we need cohesion policy to be adequately financed – because the risk is even to see part of those funds taken away – and then everyone will answer for how they spend them” to their own communities.
