The European People’s Party (EPP) group in the European Committee of the Regions has called for a stronger, fairer and more territorially balanced approach to the future EU budget during a debate with MEPs Karlo Ressler and Andrey Novakov.
EPP-CoR speakers stressed that cohesion policy must remain a central pillar of European investment, with regions, cities and local authorities fully involved in shaping and implementing the future governance framework. They highlighted the need for greater simplification, reduced bureaucracy, stronger technical assistance, predictable funding and a place-based approach that reflects the diverse realities across Europe, while ensuring that competitiveness, innovation and support for SMEs remain at the heart of European investment policy.
Karlo Ressler MEP (EPP, Croatia) underlined the importance of preserving cohesion policy’s territorial dimension within the future MFF. “Territorial disparities must remain at the heart of the next MFF. Europe needs a fair, predictable framework that recognises the different realities of less developed, transition and more developed regions, while giving special attention to islands, outermost regions and areas facing demographic decline. Regional and local authorities cannot be treated as a box-ticking exercise: they must be real partners in the preparation and implementation of the plans. The future framework will only succeed if it connects strategic European priorities with the territorial realities on the ground. That requires simplification, trust, investment capacity and genuine political cooperation between European, national, regional and local levels.”
Andrey Novakov MEP (EPP, Bulgaria) warned against the continued weakening of cohesion policy and called for stronger support for local authorities and regions. “Mayors and regions are the lifeline of cohesion policy in the European Union. Yet for too long, cohesion policy has been in survival mode, with constant pressure to take resources away from it. We are fighting for more funding, less bureaucracy and stronger technical assistance, because European funds must be easier to use than bank loans. Most importantly, mayors and regional leaders must be part of the planning and implementation from the start. If local and regional authorities are not involved, there can be no real cohesion policy. Either we defend it now, together, or next time there may be nothing left to defend.”
Ivan Žagar, Mayor of Slovenska Bistrica welcomed the European Parliament’s support for a stronger and more predictable cohesion framework, while insisting on safeguards against excessive centralisation. “Cohesion policy must remain a central pillar of European investment, anchored in economic, social and territorial cohesion, partnership, and a truly place-based approach. We welcome the European Parliament’s commitment to a sufficient and predictable MFF and its proposal to strengthen funding for the NRPP Fund. But predictability must also mean clear safeguards: binding multilevel governance, mandatory territorial chapters, and a subsidiarity clause to prevent over-centralised national plans. Regional and local authorities must be fully involved in planning, implementation and evaluation. The European Parliament has shown itself to be our closest institutional ally, and we stand firmly behind its negotiators.”
Fernando López Miras, President of Murcia emphasised that regions must play a meaningful and permanent role in the governance of future EU investment programmes, while also highlighting the importance of competitiveness and regional innovation. “Regions must have a real voice and a meaningful role in the future governance plans. Their involvement cannot remain a mere declaration of principle: the regulations must guarantee structured, effective and permanent participation of regions in defining priorities, as well as in monitoring, evaluation and control mechanisms. At the same time, European investment must deliver maximum impact for competitiveness, with a complementary approach across plans and funds, from and for all regions of Europe. Strengthening European competitiveness means recognising the value of regional innovation ecosystems and giving specific attention to SMEs, which are essential drivers of growth and cohesion.”
The debate formed part of the ongoing work on the future architecture of the EU budget and the proposed NRPP Fund, which seeks to integrate several major EU funding instruments into a single framework for the 2028–2034 period. EPP-CoR representatives reiterated that any reform must preserve the core principles of cohesion policy, strengthen multilevel governance and ensure that Europe’s regions remain central partners in delivering growth, competitiveness and territorial cohesion across the Union.