Overview   Cohesion alliance

Cohesion policy is the main European investment policy to achieve the EU Treaty objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion. In doing so Cohesion policy has a clear added value in creating jobs, sustainable growth and modern infrastructure, overcoming structural barriers, boosting human capital and improving the quality of life for all citizens across the EU.

This year, the European Committee of the Regions and the DG Regional and Urban policy join forces with over 200 partners to prepare an exciting and innovative programme for the European Week of Regions and Cities 2018. Take a look at the list of partners!

Cohesion policy is the EU's most powerful investment tool and currently accounts for one-third of the EU budget but cuts proposed by the European Commission for the years 2021-2017 would reduce its share from 34% to 29%. Such reduction risks deepening divides in Europe and making Europe's future weaker according to the EU-wide #CohesionAlliance.

The launch of the European Commission’s proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) throws a spotlight on how the EU budget should be used to maximise the added value of EU spending. In presenting the MFF proposals, President Juncker referred to the fundamental EU principle of “solidarity” and the need for spending to make “a real difference to the lives of citizens and businesses.” Yet, new research indicates a potential contradiction between the MFF proposed by the Commission, and what makes a difference to citizens’ perception of the EU.

Since 25 years, European funds provide highly effective source of investment in Andalusia. The Programme Andalusia ERDF 2014-2020 aims to boost economic growth in Andalusia and contribute to achieving the Europe 2020 targets for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. It creates jobs and boost productivity, particularly in SMEs.

The Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) of the European Committee of the Regions met in Tenerife to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the economic, social and territorial development of the EU’s outermost regions. The message is clear: the potential of the outermost regions is still untapped and more investments are needed to convert overseas territories into innovation hubs that foster growth and jobs while they reinforce EU’s strategic position globally. The COTER seminar has been hosted by the president of the Canary Islands Fernando Clavijo (ES/ALDE)

The cost and risks of non-cohesion and the EU’s long-term budget after 2020 were the main points of the discussions held in Brussels on 23 March by local and regional leaders with the co-rapporteur of the European Parliament on the EU's next long-term budget, Jan Olbrycht (PL/EPP). In the course of the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the members adopted an opinion drawn up by Mieczysław Struk (PL/EPP), President of the Pomorskie region, stressing the need for a strong cohesion policy.

CEEP has joined the #CohesionAlliance , which was launched in 2017 by the European Committee of the Regions together with leading European associations of regions and cities. During the meeting of CEEP Public Services Board, Thierry Durnerin, chair of the Board, signed the declaration on behalf of CEEP in presence of Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions.

Between 2007 and 2014, 9.4 million Europeans gained employment and 8.7 million obtained a qualification thanks to the support of the European Social Fund (ESF) and the partnership between the EU and national and regional governments. The European Committee of the Regions is mobilising its efforts to ensure that these achievements are duly taken into account and the fund will not be cut in the forthcoming EU long-term budget, or diverted to incentivise heavily centralised measures.

EU cohesion policy must continue to represent at least one-third of the EU budget after 2020 and support all of Europe's regions. Reducing it risks deepening divides in Europe and would undermine the future of the European Union. This message was delivered today by the EU-wide #CohesionAlliance to the European Commission ahead of the publication of its draft future EU budget on 2 May.

On 20 March 2018 the member regions of the Alps-Mediterranean Euroregion (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Piedmont, Liguria and the Aosta Valley) and the Lyon metropolitan region welcomed Karl-Heinz Lambertz, president of the European C

The President of the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME), Ulrike Rabmer-Koller, signed up to the demand for a strong cohesion policy after 2020 put forward by the #CohesionAlliance. In a meeting on 21 March in Brussels, the CoR President and the UEAPME President jointly called for the European Social Pillar and the future EU growth strategy to be shaped and delivered involving local actors.

A delegation of mayors and presidents of conurbation authorities (communautés d'agglomération) from the "Villes de France" association met the President of the European Committee of the Regions and signed up to the #CohesionAlliance, signalling their support for a strong EU cohesion policy that benefits all cities and regions after 2020.

Roadmap of activities for the period of 2018 to 2020 of the European Committee of the Regions presented in a visual timeline.

This brochure sets out the main thematic priorities for each one of the European Committee of Regions' (CoR) policy commissions. It shows that locally the impact of EU policy matters but it needs the wealth of knowledge by local and regional governments to direct it. Includes foreword from CoR President Karl-Heinz Lambertz, the four "chantiers" as identified by the President to guide the CoR, the communication priorities 2018 and quotes from the chairs of each commission.

Within the context of the ongoing debate on the future of cohesion policy beyond 2020, numerous relevant actors have already expressed their views on this important matter.

The PLATFORMAwards aim to reward the best city-to-city or region-to-region development cooperation projects promoting decentraliseed cooperation and collecting data from the best European practices.

The #CohesionAlliance is a coalition of those who believe that EU cohesion policy must continue to be a pillar of the EU’s future. The Alliance was created through cooperation between the leading European associations of cities and regions and the European Committee of the Regions. This brochure communicates Europe's added value and outlines our shared desire for an ambitious budget that matches our ambitions.

The event - "Developing synergies between Joint Undertakings and ESIF for optimising RIS3 implementation" is organised by JRC in collaboration with DG REGIO, the European Committee of Regions, three Joint Undertakings (Cleansky JU, FCH JU and BBI JU) other participants will include a number of regional and national ESIF managing authorities to promote collaboration between regions and JUs in support of RIS3 implementation.

The President of the European Committee of the Regions, Karl-Heinz Lambertz, met yesterday with the French Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau. During the meeting President Lambertz set out the vision and purpose of the Committee's " Reflecting on Europe " initiative - an EU-wide consultation which includes numerous citizens' dialogues led by its members. President Lambertz welcomed the willingness of the French authorities to initiate their own public consultations on the future of Europe in an effort to strengthen the link between Europeans and the EU.