Photo by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash
The European Committee of the Regions, is critical of the EU’s new long term budget plans.
Speaking after they were unveiled this week, its president Kata Tutto said: “After months of unjustified secrecy, the European Commission has delivered a complicated and divisive proposal that puts at risk the role of regions and cities in the European project.”
The CoR, which is based in Brussels, is the body that represents towns and cities all over the EU.
The EU itself says the MFF is ambitious and dynamic and a commission spokesman said the framework will equip Europe with a long-term investment budget matching its ambitions to be an independent, prosperous, secure, and thriving society and economy over the coming decade.
EC President Ursula von der Leyen agrees, insisting that the new long-term budget will help protect European citizens, strengthen Europe’s social model and make our European industry thrive.
“In a time of geopolitical instability, the budget will allow Europe to shape its own destiny, in line with its vision and ideals. A budget that supports peace and prosperity and promotes our values is the best tool we can have during these uncertain times,” she said.
But the CoR leader was critical, adding, “There are no guarantees that all regions will benefit of cohesion investments, there is no legal provision to define the involvement of regions in funds management, there is no willingness by the Commission to assess and monitor investments’ impact at regional and local level.”
Tutto said, “The Commission priority seems to be increasing the share of the EU budget under its direct control while leaving Member States total flexibility on the other funds.”
“In this way it interrupts its direct relation with regions, giving up on a precious cooperation that until now helped deliver EU long-term objectives on the ground.”
“If the goal was simplification, the creation of Monster National Plans integrating cohesion, agriculture and migration funds – disconnecting their respective objectives from allocation criteria and governance arrangements – does not simplify in any way their management nor the access for beneficiaries.”
Tutto went on to say, “It only simplifies the Commission’s work that would turn a blind eye on regions’ and cities’ needs and challenges. It is now crucial that the European Parliament and the Member States intervene to change in depth the proposal, allowing for a reform of Cohesion Policy conceived to empower regions and cities and not sideline them.”
More comment came from Sari Rautio (FI/EPP), a member of the City Council of the Finnish city of Hämeenlinna and CoR rapporteur on the MFF post-2027.
Rautio said: “The Commission’s proposal marks a fundamental shift away from the Europe we believe in – one which puts people, cities and regions at the centre. By centralising the management of funds through Single National Plans and side-lining regional programmes, this proposal risks silencing the voices of those closest to our citizens. We cannot build a resilient, competitive and cohesive Union by turning our back on multilevel governance and local knowledge.”
“The lessons of the Recovery and Resilience Facility were clear: without the active involvement of local and regional authorities, EU investment fails to deliver on the ground.”
“While acknowledging that the Commission addresses new key priorities, as CoR rapporteur I call on the co-legislators to restore a genuine partnership principle, uphold subsidiarity, and ensure that no EU region is left behind in the post-2027 EU budget.
“Cohesion and competitiveness must go hand in hand – and not played against each other under the mantra of simplification. Hence, we also reject the Commission’s attempt to substantially reduce the funding dedicated to cohesion and agriculture and rural development, which would have a major negative impact on our regions, cities and villages. It is not possible to rob Peter (cohesion and agriculture) to pay Paul (the new priorities at EU level).”
“We are committed to improve the European Commission’s proposal by working together with our institutional partners. The EU deserves a long-term budget based on common clear goals and values,” said the CoR member.
