Reacting to the presentation of the Council Presidency’s negotiating box for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR) warned against reducing the European Union’s capacity to respond to growing challenges at a time of unprecedented geopolitical, economic and security pressures hitting cities and regions across Europe.
The EPP-CoR shares the concerns expressed by the EPP Group in the European Parliament that a reduced budget would fail to equip Europe with the necessary resources to address both long-standing and emerging priorities. The Group reiterates that cohesion policy and the Common Agricultural Policy remain essential pillars and must be adequately financed alongside new priorities such as security, defence, innovation, energy resilience and industrial competitiveness.
The position is fully in line with the Rhodes Declaration, adopted by the EPP-CoR in May 2026, which calls for a strong, future-oriented and place-based European budget that empowers regions and cities while delivering on Europe’s strategic objectives.
Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR Group and Committee of the Regions rapporteur on the future EU budget, said: “Europe cannot be asked to do more with less. At a time when citizens expect Europe to strengthen its security, competitiveness and resilience, reducing the Union’s financial capacity sends the wrong signal. This is more than just a budget. The next Multiannual Financial Framework must be ambitious enough to address both existing priorities and new challenges.”
“The Rhodes Declaration clearly states that cohesion and competitiveness go hand in hand. Investing in regions, cities and local communities is not a cost; it is one of Europe’s greatest strengths. A strong budget must preserve cohesion policy and agriculture while providing adequate resources for defence, innovation, energy security and strategic autonomy.”
“We also support a serious discussion on new own resources. If Europe wants to deliver on its ambitions, it needs sustainable and fair sources of revenue. New priorities cannot be financed by weakening the policies that keep our territories competitive, resilient and united.”
The EPP-CoR calls on the Council and the European Parliament to advance negotiations rapidly and reach an agreement on the next MFF without delay, providing certainty for local and regional authorities, SMEs and citizens across Europe.
As highlighted in the Rhodes Declaration, the future EU budget must remain rooted in the principles of territorial cohesion, multilevel governance and partnership, ensuring that local and regional authorities continue to play a central role in delivering European priorities on the ground.