The EU Cohesion Policy plays a very important role in the process of integration of European regions and states. Thus, it shouldn't be subject to any cuts during the midterm review of the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework. Speaking at the European People's Party Political Assembly, President of the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions, Michael Schneider called the centre-right political family not to allow any changes in this area.
"When I look at the European agenda those days, I can't recall one with such a number of problems to be solved. But if we allow any decreases to the EU's Cohesion Policy with the midterm review of the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework, we might risk undermining another factor strengthening EU's integration. The Cohesion Policy has been so far not only one of the Community's success stories and we should preserve it. The European Committee of the Regions is working on some own-initiative proposals in this area, which already proved to be very useful in the past" – stated the EPP/CoR Group President.
Furthermore, Michael Schneider presented to the EPP Political Assembly CoR's plans for strengthening its partnership with European Investment Bank, its cooperation with the Dutch Presidency on the EU Urban Agenda as well as CoR's role in Neighbourhood Policy, especially through its Ukraine's Task Force.
Again, EPP/CoR President called for interinstitutional support in relation to the problematic provisions of the EU Transparency Register - "Local and regional authorities see their registration requirement unjustified, since they are an integral part of the EU's institutional framework, and their representatives are democratically elected by citizens" – underlined President Schneider.