The future of cohesion policy: make the voice of border regions heard before May 6th!
The proposed changes are designed to ensure that the budget is used where it brings real European added value, in areas where Europe’s collective action can have a more significant impact than isolated actions by Member States working on their own.
This is accompanied by a move towards greater ‘centralisation’, a proposal to combine numerous programmes into merged funds and to move from a decentralised, region-specific allocation to a centralised approach, where national governments will have greater control over the distribution and management of cohesion funds. Cohesion policy is now at risk, and it is time for cross-border territories to make their voices heard. To accompany the preparation of the next MFF, the Commission has launched several consultations covering various areas: the economy, external action, crisis management, as well as the single market, cooperation between national authorities, culture and cross-border civil society. Two consultations are particularly relevant:
- The consultation on EU funding for cross-border education, training and solidarity, young people, media, culture, and creative sector, values, and civil society.
- EU funding for the single market and cooperation between national authorities.
The MOT invites its network and all those involved in cross-border cooperation to respond to these consultations, which close on May 6th. It is essential that cross-border territories, which embody the European project and play a key role in European integration, make their voice heard. Their specific characteristics must be fully taken into account in the future budgetary framework, not only to ensure their prosperity, but also for the future of Europe itself.
Photo: European Union / Dati Bendo
