Cohesion policy post-2027

The 8th Cohesion Report presents the main changes in territorial disparities over the past decade and how policies have affected these disparities. It highlights the potential of the green and digital transitions as new drivers of EU growth, but argues that without appropriate policy action new economic, social and territorial disparities may appear. Finally, it launches a reflection on how cohesion policy should evolve to respond to these challenges and in particular how to ensure that place-based, multilevel and partnership led approaches continue to improve cohesion, while building on synergies and mainstreaming cohesion objectives into other policies and instruments.

The 8th Cohesion Report, published by the European Commission in February 2022, paints a mixed picture of cohesion policy. On the one hand, since the 2008 financial crisis and the contraction of public spending, cohesion policy has played an increasing role in maintaining territorial integrity and public services. On the other hand, many less developed and middle-income regions, especially in the southern and south-western parts of Europe, are stagnating or falling behind. The report highlights that while it is relatively easy to increase growth in less developed regions, which benefit from low-cost labour, regions in transition often face several obstacles.

The Commission has established the Group of high-level specialists on the future of Cohesion Policy. The group will reflect on how to maximize the effectiveness of Cohesion policy with a view to tackling the multiple challenges identified in the 8th Cohesion Report, from the innovation divide to the demographic change. And how the policy will support a fair digital and green transition and regional recovery and growth. The group will meet in Brussels nine times throughout 2023. It will bring together representatives of academia, national, regional and local politicians, socio-economic partners and representatives of civil society. The Group will publish its strategic conclusions and recommendations in early 2024.

Early work is underway on the post-2027 reform of EU cohesion policy. This creates a unique opportunity for regional and local stakeholders to influence national positions and those of the European institutions at an early stage, well before the actual start of the legislative process. This reflection process is not only technical, but is also highly political because it touches on many of the challenges the EU is facing.

EPRS Policy Podcasts - Based on the paper "The future of EU cohesion policy: The emerging debate"

On the 23 November 2023, the Council approved conclusions, setting out its position on key aspects for the future development of cohesion policy. The conclusions will serve as a basis for discussions in the coming years and for the Commission’s work on the legislative framework for cohesion policy after 2027.

La réunion informelle des ministres en charge de la politique de cohésion se tiendra à Mons les lundi 5 et mardi 6 février. Présidée par le Ministre-Président de Wallonie, Elio Di Rupo, elle rassemblera les ministres en charge de la cohésion des États-membres, ainsi que la Commissaire européenne à la cohésion et aux réformes, Elisa Ferreira, et le Commissaire européen à l’emploi et aux droits sociaux, Nicolas Schmit. Le Président de la Commission REGI du Parlement européen, le Président du Comité économique et social européen seront également présents

The political objective of the opinion is to ensure that all relevant EU policies contribute to achieving the objectives and principles of cohesion, integrating the principle of "do no harm to cohesion" in EU legislation and to ensure that Cohesion remains an overall objective and value of the EU.

The 'do no harm to cohesion' principle, introduced by the European Commission in the 8th Cohesion Report, puts an emphasis on enhancing the coherence between cohesion policy and other EU policies. The European Parliament recommended that the European Committee of the Regions be involved in defining the principle in more detail. While the principle's introduction has been welcomed unanimously, there have been a number of calls to flesh it out further and to redefine the relationship between cohesion policy and the European Semester.

The opinion aims at enabling the CoR to assume a proactive role in the preparation of the next Cohesion Policy cycle after 2027. Specifically, it will allow the CoR to put forward its political recommendations on the matter in advance of the 9th Cohesion Report and the subsequent Strategic Agenda of the European Union, which are both expected in spring 2024. It will also allow the CoR to politically reflect upon the various discussions on the future of Cohesion policy (i.e. the Commission's Expert Group on the Future of Cohesion Policy as well as the Cohesion Alliance's reflection process), which will be conducted throughout 2023.

The debate on how Cohesion Policy should be reformed after the current EU budgetary period 2021-27
(Plenary 29 November 2023)