The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament’s committee on regional development today gathered a majority for the adoption of the mandate of the European Parliament to enter negotiations with the member states in the Council on the mid-term review of the EU cohesion policy until 2027. 

Dragoș Benea, chair of the EP’s committee on regional development and leading negotiator on the matter, said:

“Cohesion policy is an excellent tool with a great social impact throughout the EU. Its mid-term review happens in an atmosphere of great and justified concerns of citizens and national governments for the challenges our Union faces, and undoubtedly defence is one of them. People fear for their security, but they also want to have new schools and hospitals, to have underground systems enlarged to help traffic in cities, and they want job creation and public investments to achieve all of this. The mid-term review of cohesion policy cannot be ‘business as usual’ with just cosmetic changes here and there. We have to keep this policy close to people, regional authorities and local communities. Let’s not kill something that works so effectively for European citizens and businesses, and instead think how to improve the way cohesion policy functions. We are adapting cohesion policy to meet new priorities, without weakening its core promise: no region forgotten, no European left behind. With today’s vote, the European Parliament’s committee on regional development and the S&D Group are ready to enter this debate with the member states and the European Commission.”