Cohesion policy needs strengthening and focus on the future – Euractiv

With the new European mandate and negotiations on the next long-term EU budget on the horizon, cohesion policy is set for a refresh. Members of the PES family responsible for cohesion insist that the new mandate must be based on the fundamental principles of the policy and focus on the future.

Piret Hartman, Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Estonia; Michael Falzon, Minister of Social Policy and Child Rights, Malta, Adrian Câciu, Minister of Investments and European Projects, Romania; Aleksander Jevšek, Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development, Slovenia; Ángel Víctor Torres, Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Spain; Iratxe García Pérez, President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament; Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions; Christophe Rouillon, President of the PES Group in the CoR.

Why cohesion policy needs a clear mandate

Economic, social and territorial cohesion are an integral part of the EU’s ambitions – as rightfully enshrined in the Treaty on its Functioning. Cohesion policy has its origins in the Treaty of Rome and has been strengthened since then, with each major step in EU integration playing an important role in preventing disparities within and between countries and contributing to the competitiveness and level playing field of the European single market. It is the EU’s central investment policy and the most precise expression of European solidarity. As two key figures of the PES family, Nicolas Schmit and Elisa Ferreira, said earlier this yearit is “the glue that holds Europe together”.

Policy is best understood as a major lever for improving the lives of citizens, starting with the places and people who need it most. However, it is much more than a simple redistribution policy. It is a means of reconciling efficiency with equity. So we have to do well. As socialists and social democrats, we are committed to leaving no one behind. We fight for upward social convergence, from the biggest cities to rural areas and to the most remote and outermost regions.

The positive impact of cohesion policy is illustrated by various figures: it is beneficial to our overall well-being, as its investments increase Europe’s GDP. It supports workers by creating 1.2 million jobs between 2014 and 2020. It benefits people by helping 5 million households with energy savings and giving 63 million people better access to support medical. It is profitable for companies that they supported 4.4 million businesses. And, if not the most telling, the countries that joined the EU in 2004 have seen a significant increase in economic output since joining the EU, rising from 52% of the EU’s average GDP to 80%.

Cohesion policy is crucial for the well-being of our citizens and their freedom to remain in the place they call home. Play a role in making people feel empowered and supported. This is fundamental to democracy, as the sense of abandonment drives citizens into the arms of populists and far-right extremists. Politics is closest to the ground, offering real solutions to people’s concerns and stands in contrast to the illusory solutions of the far right that are not. This is a central struggle for us as socialists and social democrats.

What a clear mandate for cohesion policy requires

We are working to ensure the success of cohesion policy beyond 2027, building on the legacy of Elisa Ferreira and Nicolas Schmit. Looking at the negotiations to follow, the PES Cohesion Ministers, progressive leaders in the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions signed a declaration (Read the full statement here) with precise requirements, including:

• To keep the decentralized approach to cohesion policy and the involvement of regional and local stakeholders;
• To do a solid financial commitment to the policy in the next long-term EU budget;
• To keep it available to all EU regions and giving priority to the most needy;
• To continue achieving a successful and just transition; and
• To give more flexibility and administrative simplification. Read more here

In other words, as our Union and circumstances change, our policy should adapt. However, this will only succeed if it is supported by the right values ​​and approaches. As progressives, we do a positive argument for strengthening and refining cohesion policy.

Cohesion policy is working and delivering results. It benefits everyone – citizens, regions, Member States and the Union as a whole. It is a NECESSITY-have, not a beautifulto have Our union depends on it.