Hungary celebrates 20 years of EU membership in 2024. To mark the event, concerts, running race and various family programmes were available to the public in Budapest and in 12 locations across the country. Achievements of Cohesion Policy were also displayed. But let us start at the beginning...

To ensure that Europe’s rural areas continue to provide Europeans with food, homes, jobs and other services, the EU has developed a Rural toolkit. Thanks to this new tool, local authorities, regions, businesses, and individuals can more easily access information on the different EU funding opportunities and take advantage of EU initiatives to improve the quality of life in their territories.

The EU’s interactive archive of 1.9 million EU-funded projects rolls-out a new feature enabling managing authorities to make projects easier to understand and more accessible. Kohesio redefines engagement and closes the gap between EU funds and EU citizens

Since 2002, the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) plays a crucial role in providing financial support for post-disaster recovery. It focuses on natural disasters, but since 2020 also on major public health emergencies.

Extreme weather events are becoming a regular phenomenon across Europe due to climate change, resulting in floods, wildfires, landslides, heavy storms and also drought. Being prepared and coordinating joint responses across borders can not only save lives, but also property and things that are dear to us.

Good ideas could come from anywhere. But how do you ensure that good ideas receive the investments they need to become real? How do you ensure that research and development translate into regional growth? The European Commission adopted the concept of Smart Specialisation as the foundation for the development of regional innovation strategies. These so called Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) ensure that innovation does not falter for lack of funds or interested markets.

Eurobarometer survey confirms Europeans have a positive view of EU regional funding. With consistent awareness levels of 39% across Europe, this article scrutinizes the nuanced perspectives and tangible benefits experienced by member states.

EU funding has helped transform a Brussels landmark previously used as a stock exchange into a tribute to Belgium’s beer tradition, which UNESCO has recognised as an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’.

More and more people are dissatisfied with a perceived system they feel no longer benefits them. In the EU, this is reflected in the rise of Euroscepticism. The European Commission has examined the factors behind this phenomenon and how to address it, including through the EU’s cohesion policy.

The new Brăila Bridge over the Danube is an engineering marvel which shows that Romania can carry out complex infrastructure projects. It represents another milestone in the efforts of EU Cohesion Policy to enhance territorial integration and promote economic growth in the EU.

On 4 May, the third Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Urban Development adopted the declaration Implementing the UfM Strategic Urban Action Plan in Zagreb, Croatia.

From traditional canoes in the Pacific islands, to hip hop culture in French Guiana and a digital museum on Curacao, the EU-funded Archipel.eu project has helped promote art, culture, and heritage in the EU’s outermost regions and overseas countries and territories.

Who would have bet on bringing 150 stakeholders for the EU Macro Regional Strategies Week #EUMRSWeek in Brussels and online while the SeaFood Fair edition was happening in the same city at the same time? Nobody would have dared, but the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy – European Commission!

The European Commission launched an unprecedented alliance placing local authorities at the core of the European public sphere. Spread the word, the call for application is open.

While the competitiveness of the EU’s underperforming regions has increased over the years, a closer look shows that wide regional differences remain, hampering Europe’s overall economic growth and development.

Policymakers and managing authorities promoting the growth of non-urban areas have a new tool at their disposal: the recently published Handbook of Territorial and Local Development Strategies. Both the handbook and a new cohesion policy objective will contribute to achieving sustainable growth in all EU regions and bringing Europe closer to citizens.

Warmińsko-Mazurskie region in Poland made a green shift in its regional development policy with the help of Interreg Europe. Find out how the input of experts from other corners of Europe helped to improve the region’s policy.

The European Union is committed to ensuring that people remain centre stage of its policies and that no one is left behind. Together with the Member States, the EU is vested with guaranteeing equality and non-discrimination and ensuring social and territorial cohesion. In practical terms, this translates into supporting high levels of employment and skills, modernising labour markets, training and social protection systems, eradicating poverty and addressing social exclusion and improving public health. That is what inclusive growth in the EU is all about.

The Spanish annual communication event on regional policy and European funds – Acto anual de política regional y fondos europeos en España – is hosted by the Spanish general secretary of European funds of the Ministry of Finance. It rewards the achievements and best communication practices of projects co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), that strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion across European regions. The awards ceremony was held in Madrid on 29 November.

A delegation from six European regions visited different Japanese prefectures last November in the framework of the EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation project. The project is managed by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG Regio) and the Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) service of the European Commission.

The partnership principle acts as a reference to empower the European Commission and national authorities to jointly manage EU funds. Partnership Agreements (PA) and a new forum for partners put the principle into action, ensuring that all spheres of society are involved in the implementation of cohesion funding.

As of 26 July 2022, the Pelješac Bridge, the largest ever EU investment in infrastructure in Croatia, finally connects the region of Southern Dalmatia with the rest of the country's mainland. The bridge will cut travel time by 37 minutes along the Adriatic coastline, improving people’s lives and increasing economic opportunities for the region.

On 15-16 June 2022 more than 450 participants representing all EU levels of governance and various types of stakeholders took part in the first ever Rural Pact conference.

Uncertain times prove that networks like Inform EU are more important than ever. They keep communication channels open, combat misinformation and provide hope.

Rafał Rolka of the Let’s communicate! Project talked with Dr. Ülla-Karin Nurm, Director at the Secretariat of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being, about her opinion on the challenges, needs and activities to address when promoting active and healthy ageing in the Baltic Sea Region.

The EU is supporting the improvement of Poland’s gas supply security through the modernisation of gas transmission pipelines and the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The newly adopted Commission’s communication ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions’ sets out new priorities and commitments towards the outermost regions through a five-pillar strategy’

Amidst the rising needs of persons fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Commission responded quickly by putting forward a guide to the use of EU regional funding to integrate migrants into their new communities.

Urban greening in Ruse, shaping the future of culinary arts in Campania, bringing digital into the classrooms in Western Macedonia: under the “Europe in my region” campaign, each initiative, in each region, is at the core of a communication action during the whole month of May.

With the EUOpenday back after two years of pandemic, DG Regio interacted again with the public on its support for sustainable and inclusive projects at local level.

Difficulties in education and entering the labour market are a challenge for many young people. The European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) addresses this issue from the very beginning.

In this third overview of projects involving local people in designing, monitoring and assessing use of EU cohesion funds, discover six more initiatives working with communities to shape cohesion policy to benefit their region. We have also launched a new call for proposals to engage more citizens in the design and implementation of Cohesion Policy – deadline 30 April.

The European Funds for Internal Security aim to achieve a more secure Europe and strengthen external borders to achieve effective immigration management. Three European Funds, AMIF - Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, BMVI - Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy, and ISF - Internal Security Fund, are responsible for providing Spain with the best tools so that all organisations and institutions in charge of security can carry out their work in the most optimal way.

The new Kohesio knowledge base of cohesion policy-funded projects provides publicly available data on EU investment to support policymaking and tackle disinformation.

Increased road safety for pedestrians, enhanced equipment for firefighters and a new health centre are at the core of a one-month communication action under the -“Europe in my region” campaign.

« It is a great honour for me to express, on behalf of the Government and myself, our great satisfaction at the inclusion of the Republic of San Marino in the EUSAIR as the tenth participating country. » says Mr Luca Beccari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of San Marino. « I would also like to express my gratitude for the support we received to become an active member of this cooperation and territorial cohesion platform promoted and supported by the European Union. »

This is the second of the three articles on projects involving citizens in the design, monitoring and assessment of how EU cohesion funds are spent in their region. Discover six more projects, and how you can be among the first to hear about DG REGIO’s next steps to enhance citizen engagement.

From digitalisation to greening cities, here are three stories of how the EIB is boosting regional economic development, reducing disparities between EU regions, and improving living standards for all.

A building that once housed an iconic former department store in the centre of Slovenia’s third largest city has come back to life with a fresh appearance and new content to become the country’s largest park for promoting science, technology and innovation and a place where science lives.

Central Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square is set to be officially inaugurated on 10 December following an extensive makeover that was co-funded by the EU, marking a major milestone in efforts to revitalise the Cypriot capital.

Eighteen pioneering projects are empowering citizens to discover, design, monitor and assess how EU cohesion funds are spent in their region. Here, we take a closer look at this initiative promoting government-citizen partnership, and six of its innovative projects.

The presidents of Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands met from 17 to 20 November to discuss the Commission’s proposals for a stronger partnership with the EU’s most remote regions.

To celebrate the European Year of Rail, green mobility was the topic of this year’s REGIOSTARS Awards – the annual competition organised by DG REGIO. The five finalists in this category are helping to revolutionise transport in Europe and harmonise the network as a whole.

The Common Provisions Regulation (CPR), which sets out common rules for EU shared management funds, has been made simpler and more adaptable, allowing EU countries and regions to access and use funding faster when there are unexpected challenges. Requirements for better communication and transparency will benefit citizens.

With lively debates, a citizens’ dialogue and more than 300 sessions featuring examples of EU-funded initiatives, the European Week of Regions and Cities established a vision of a resilient, green, digital, and inclusive future for all.

The European Commission awarded the first NEB prizes on 16 September in Brussels. Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms and Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth handed the awards to the 20 laureates. Re-watch the ceremony and meet the winners by visiting the virtual exhibition of their works.

Cohesion policy is the main investment tool of the EU and funds have increased significantly during and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. More funds mean more possibilities for investment but also more for potential for fraud. Managing Authorities in Member States are the main bodies responsible for preventing and tackling fraud related to Cohesion policy projects but they often lack the resources or know-how to do so effectively. To help them improve fraud detection and prevention, the European Commission launched the on-line EU Funds Anti-Fraud Knowledge and Resource Centre on 27 May.

The EEA and Norway Grants represent Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway’s commitment to stimulate more sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe, promote bilateral cooperation and tackle shared challenges. The funding period 2014-2021 represents the most ambitious effort to date by the EEA (European Economic Area)/EFTA (European Free Trade Association) States resulting in a total budget of €2.8 billion dedicated to strengthening bilateral relations and reducing social and economic inequalities in Europe.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has gripped the world since March 2020, has created specific legal and administrative challenges for the EU’s cross-border regions. A recent study, entitled ‘The effects of COVID-19 induced border closures on cross-border regions’, analyses the impact of the restrictions implemented by Member States on around 150 million Europeans during the first three months of the crisis.