“This debate is not about abstract figures, but about how we imagine Europe in the next decade. We face limited resources, new priorities in defence and security, and the lasting effects of successive crises. The Commission’s proposal for the next MFF introduces a new architecture built around three pillars: national and regional partnership plans, the Competitiveness Fund, and Global Europe.” these were the opening remarks of Karlo Ressler, Member of the European Parliament and EPP Group Coordinator in the Budgets (BUDG) Committee.
EPP- Cor members had an exchange of views on how Europe’s future budget can strengthen competitiveness, ensure security, and preserve cohesion. The exchange underlined that the next MFF must not only respond to global challenges but also remain close to citizens — empowering regions, supporting local development, and ensuring that no community is left behind.
Opening the discussion, Karlo Ressler MEP highlighted the need to balance new priorities in defence and security with the long-term goals of cohesion and growth. Ressler welcomed the ambition to strengthen competitiveness and strategic investments but warned against excessive centralisation: “While simplification and coherence are positive goals, the proposed framework may marginalise regional and local governments, reduce funding for cohesion and agriculture, and weaken multilevel governance. We must ensure that Europe’s regions remain fully involved in shaping and implementing the next financial framework. The Committee of the Regions is our natural ally in this debate — ensuring that European investments stay close to citizens and respond to local realities.”
Borboly Csaba, Vice-President of the Harghita County Council (Romania), stressed that citizens experience the EU through their local and regional authorities: “People experience Europe through their local and regional authorities. If, under the next MFF, we are reduced to a marginal role, Euroscepticism will only continue to grow. We are the face of Europe in our communities. The new financial framework must strengthen direct access for local and regional authorities to EU funding and support rural and mountain areas. Europe must stay close to its people.”
Thomas Gottfried Schmidt, Member of the Saxon State Parliament (Germany), warned that a lack of visibility and resources fuels Euroscepticism: “We are operating in an environment where Euroscepticism is growing. If we want to counter these narratives, we must make Europe more visible and ensure people feel represented — particularly through rural development. Centralising everything at national level is not the solution; regions face different realities and must be empowered accordingly.” He also called for greater flexibility and reduced bureaucracy, paired with mechanisms to support areas where applying EU funds is more challenging.
Nikola Dobroslavić, Prefect of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County (Croatia), emphasised the need to strengthen Europe’s security while maintaining balance between the EU’s founding pillars: “We must strengthen security and defence in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine — we cannot allow authoritarian regimes to prevail. But if we weaken the other pillars on which the European Union is built, all our efforts will be in vain. Cohesion and agriculture remain fundamental to Europe’s balance and unity.”
Ivan Žagar, Mayor of the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica, reiterated that Europe’s strength lies in combining solidarity and growth:
“Cohesion remains at the heart of the European project. It represents not only solidarity, but also the connection that binds our regions together. Yet cohesion cannot stand alone — it must go hand in hand with competitiveness. Only by combining these two principles can we ensure balanced development and lasting prosperity across Europe.”
Pablo Broseta, Vice-Minister for Representation to the European Union from the Government of the Region of Valencia (Spain), stressed that the new MFF must preserve regional autonomy and flexibility: “The next MFF must ensure true multilevel governance, preserving the regions’ capacity to design and implement programmes tailored to their specific needs. We need a budget that combines ambition, flexibility, and regional responsibility — one that builds a more cohesive, competitive, and citizen-focused Europe.”
Adrian Teban, Mayor of Cugir (Romania), called for strong coordination within the EPP family: “For us in the EPP, it is essential to have a coordinated position with the European Parliament. Without a real role for local and regional representatives in shaping Europe’s future, we would not be on the right path forward.”
Olgierd Geblewicz, President of the West Pomeranian Region (Poland) highlighted that "The Recovery Plans were designed without meaningful consultation with us, and the funds were distributed unfairly at the regional level. There were national allocations, but no corresponding regional ones, which led to injustice in the redistribution of resources — a poor example of policy design. Cohesion policy, by contrast, has a well-established tradition and has proven to work effectively. That is why it is difficult to understand why we would choose to dismantle it and replace it with something new that raises more questions than answers."
A Common Message: Regions Are Essential to Europe’s Future
The debate reaffirmed that Europe’s strength lies in its regions and cities. Participants warned against the risks of over-centralisation and urged a renewed focus on multilevel governance, flexibility, and partnership in the next MFF.
EPP-CoR members expressed a unified message: Europe’s next budget must empower regions to act, respond to citizens’ needs, and deliver growth through solidarity, innovation, and shared responsibility.