Au ho s:
E blin Be isha (co esponding au ho ), In e uni e si y Depa men o Regional and U ban S udies and Planning,
Poli ecnico di To ino, Tu in, I aly, e blin.be isha@poli o.i , ORCID: 0000-0002-1378-4487
Deba e A icle
F om “Eu ope o Regions” o “Eu ope o Na ions”? The
Changing Pa adigm o he Pos -2027 Cohesion Policy
F amewo k
E blin Be isha, Poli ecnico di To ino
In oduc ion
The deba e on he u u e o he Eu opean Union (EU)’s Cohesion Policy has in ensi ied
ollowing he Eu opean Commission’s p oposal, p esen ed in July 2025, o he Mul iannual
Financial F amewo k (MFF) 2028–2034, along wi h he accompanying d a egula ion. This new
budge a y a chi ec u e a i es a a momen o signi ican geopoli ical, economic, and e i o ial
u moil ma ked by he g een and digi al ansi ions, he pe sis ence o egional dispa i ies,
demog aphic p essu es, g owing poli ical agmen a ion ac oss Membe S a es and geopoli ical
ensions. Agains his backd op, he Commission’s p oposal in oduces a signi ican
Abs ac
In July 2025, he Eu opean Commission p esen ed i s p oposal o he
Mul iannual Financial F amewo k (MFF) o he 2028–2034 pe iod.
Alongside he MFF p oposal, he d a egula ion was also eleased,
ini ia ing a wo-yea consul a ion and nego ia ion p ocess ha will
culmina e in i s inal adop ion by he Council and he Eu opean
Pa liamen . This new p oposal a i es a a c i ical junc u e o he
Eu opean Union, as i seeks o ede ine i s long- e m budge a y
p io i ies in a con ex ma ked by g owing geopoli ical ins abili y, he
g een and digi al ansi ions, and inc easing p essu es on cohesion and
solida i y mechanisms. This pape o e s an o e iew o he e ol ing
deba e su ounding he p oposed MFF, highligh ing bo h i s con inui y
wi h and depa u e om p e ious amewo ks. I ocuses in pa icula
on he pa adigma ic shi unde pinning he Commission’s app oach,
sugges ing ha he new MFF ma ks a de ini i e ansi ion. om a
“Eu ope o egions” o a “Eu ope o na ions.” In doing so, i c i ically
examines how he p oposed inancial a chi ec u e edis ibu es
poli ical and economic in luence ac oss and egions, iden i ying he
appa en winne s and lose s in his eme ging con igu a ion o Eu opean
in eg a ion.
Keywo ds
Mul iannual
Financial
F amewo k;
Cohesion Policy;
Eu ope o Regions;
Eu ope o Na ions;
e i o ial cohesion;
spa ial
de elopmen
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
99
ecalib a ion o how EU e i o ial in es men is concei ed, coo dina ed, and deli e ed. A he
hea o he e o m lies he c ea ion o he Na ional and Regional Pa ne ship Plans (NRPPs),
en isioned as he single, o e a ching planning ins umen eplacing he cu en sys em o
Pa ne ship Ag eemen s and Ope a ional P og ammes. While p esen ed as a means o simpli y
p ocedu es, imp o e cohe ence, and enhance lexibili y, he NRPP amewo k subs an ially
eshapes he go e nance o cohesion policy. I cen alises s a egic con ol in he hands o
na ional go e nmen s, educes he p esc ip i e ole o he Eu opean Commission, and lea es
he in ol emen o egional and local au ho i ies la gely o he disc e ion o Membe S a es. This
is aising conce ns abou he e osion o long-s anding p inciples - such as pa ne ship, sha ed
managemen , subsidia i y and mul ile el go e nance - ha ha e his o ically de ined cohesion
policy. The con ibu ion examines he e olu ion o hese changes, ou lining he his o ical ole o
egions wi hin EU cohesion policy, he con en o he Commission’s MFF p oposal and
egula ion, and he eac ions o key ins i u ional ac o s and s akeholde s, including he Eu opean
Cou o Audi o s, he Council, Eu oci ies, Council o Eu opean Municipali ies and Regions, and
he Commi ee o Regions. D awing on hese discussions, i iden i ies he isks associa ed wi h
he p oposed model, pa icula ly he educed isibili y o egional and u ban dimensions, he
po en ial compe i ion be ween policy ields wi hin a single na ional en elope, and he unce ain
ope a ional alue o he en isaged e i o ial and egional chap e s. O e all, he analysis a gues
ha he p oposed MFF signals a pa adigma ic shi om he adi ional ision o a “Eu ope o
Regions” owa ds a mo e cen alised “Eu ope o Na ions,” e lec ing b oade poli ical dynamics
wi hin he Union. In his eme ging con igu a ion, he capaci y o egions and ci ies o in luence
he deba e o EU cohesion policy and i s implemen a ion - and o sa egua d place-based
app oaches - will inc easingly depend on hei abili y o asse hei ins i u ional ole wi hin he
NRPP p ocess.
Cohesion Policy un il 2027
The EU has long ecognised he need o p omo e balanced e i o ial de elopmen and o
educe dispa i ies be ween i s egions. So a , he cohesion policy is he EU’s main ins umen
aimed a his goal (Filipe i and Spallone, 2025). Indeed, i emains he mos c ucial in es men
policy in he EU, accoun ing o nea ly one- hi d o he en i e Union’s budge and a ge ing, o
a ying ex en s, all egions and ci ies. Wi h in es men s in in as uc u e, inno a ion,
employmen , and social inclusion, cohesion policy has played a c ucial ole in p omo ing g ow h
and esilience h oughou he Union so a (Capello e al., 2024). Roo ed in he EU T ea ies,
cohesion policy seeks o add ess he long-s anding issue o une en de elopmen , which
successi e enla gemen s, economic c ises, and demog aphic shi s ha e, h ough ime,
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
100
exace ba ed (Schwab, 2024). A icle 174 o he T ea y on he Func ioning o he Eu opean Union
p o ides ha , o s eng hen i s economic, social and e i o ial cohesion, he Union is o aim a
educing dispa i ies be ween he le els o de elopmen o he a ious egions and he help o he
leas a ou ed egions o islands o ca ch up. Wi h hese in en ions, he T ea y o Rome (1957)
also es ablished he Eu opean Social Fund (ESF). In 1973, he Eu opean Regional De elopmen
Fund (ERDF) was es ablished o add ess egional imbalances esul ing om he p edominance
o ag icul u e, indus ial changes, and s uc u al unemploymen . A decisi e impe us o a genuine
Eu opean cohesion policy was p o ided by he Single Eu opean Ac o 1986, which ecognised
he undamen al impo ance o achie ing economic and social cohesion. As a esul , cohesion
policy became an essen ial ins umen o b ing weal h up o he EU a e age. To his end, he 1988
Delo s Re o m in oduced ou key p inciples, namely “Concen a ion”, shi ing he ocus on he
poo es egions; “Pa ne ship”, wi h he in ol emen o egional and local pa ne s;
“P og amming”, wi h a mul i-annual p og amming ame; “Addi ionali y”, he EU expendi u e
mus be comple ed by na ional one. This e o m pa ed he way o he adop ion o he i s
egula ion in eg a ing he S uc u al Funds, adop ed by he Eu opean Council, and he
in oduc ion o he mul iannual inancial amewo k. Fo he i s ime, Ope a ional P og ammes
(OPs) we e d a ed o ope a ionalise he EU cohesion policy on a mul i-annual basis, acco ding
o p ede ined p io i ies and geog aphical objec i es. Since 2000-2006, he EU cohesion policy
has been s uc u ed a ound se en-yea cycles, and i is implemen ed h ough a gene al
o ien a ion documen , known as he Pa ne ship Ag eemen ( o he las wo p og amming
pe iods). This documen se s ou he in es men p io i ies and he alloca ion o esou ces in o
he Na ional and Regional Ope a ional P og ammes, elabo a ed by he Membe S a es and, in
some coun ies, by hei egions, each o which de ines p io i ies, speci ic objec i es and he
a icula ion o he inancial alloca ions and has o be e alua ed and app o ed by he Eu opean
Commission.
The ole o egions
Regions and ci ies - engines o economic ac i i y and social change - a e cen al o he
success o EU cohesion policy, pa icula ly in a eas lagging behind (Medei os e al., 2024;
Eu opean Commission, 2022). P omo ing economic cohesion among EU egions has been a
p ima y policy objec i e o he Eu opean Commission since he mid-1970s, wi h he S uc u al
Funds se ing as a key ins umen o achie e his goal (Idczak e al., 2024). The ole o egions in
cohesion policy has e ol ed ac oss p og amming pe iods, shaped by bo h EU- and s a e-le el
s a egic decisions. In some Membe S a es, egional au ho i ies play li le o no ole in policy
deli e y, while in o he s, such as I aly, hey ha e ac ed as s a egic pa ne s. Despi e he di e si y
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
101
o na ional adminis a i e sys ems, EU egula ions ha e consis en ly ecognised he impo ance
o egional in ol emen . When empowe ed o do so, egions ha e played an essen ial ole in
implemen ing cohesion policy, o en se ing as Managing Au ho i ies o he ERDF and, in many
cases, o he ESF as well. This esponsibili y has allowed egions no only o deli e cohesion
policy objec i es bu also o align na ional and egional in es men s wi hin a sha ed s a egic
amewo k. In I aly, o ins ance, egions ha e aken a p oac i e ole in de eloping e i o ial
s a egies by de ining me hods and p ocedu es o implemen ing In eg a ed Te i o ial
In es men s (ITI) unde he ERDF’s u ban ea ma k (5% in 2014–2020 and 8% in 2021–2027)
(Co ella and Be isha, 2023). In o he cases, egions ha e assumed di ec esponsibili y o
cohesion policy on behal o Membe S a es – o example, in Belgium, whe e he egions manage
ERDF implemen a ion (see he case o Flande s). Th ough he Regional Ope a ional
P og ammes, hese en i ies ha e been ecognised as key ac o s con ibu ing o e i o ial
cohesion policy and, mo e b oadly, o he o malisa ion o mul ile el go e nance in line wi h he
p inciple o subsidia i y ensh ined in he EU ea ies (Faludi, 2012). Howe e , he s a egic ole o
egions is cu en ly in deli e y Cohesion Policy amewo k is cu en ly unde deba e in he con ex
o he p oposed MFF, as discussed in he ollowing sec ion.
Cohesion Policy pos -2027: Wha is o eseen by he new MFF and he egula ion?
The Eu opean Commission’s p oposal o he Mul iannual Financial F amewo k 2028–2034,
wo h €1.98 illion (1.26% EU GNI), in oduced he so-called Na ional Regional Pa ne ship
Plans (NRPPs) as he p ima y deli e y mechanism o EU unds, including he Eu opean Regional
De elopmen Fund, Cohesion Fund, Common Ag icul u al Policy, and o he ins umen s1.
Acco ding o he Eu opean Commission (2025), mode nising he inancing o he EU budge is an
essen ial pa o his package and will enable s able na ional con ibu ions despi e he inc ease
in he budge 's size. This mode nisa ion implies making he EU budge and i s p og ammes
simple , mo e lexible, and s a egically aligned wi h he EU's cu en and u u e p io i ies.
Con inuing in his ein, he EU budge mus be a “policy-based budge ” ocusing on p io i y a eas
such as compe i i eness, secu i y, deca boniza ion, sus ainabili y, and economic, social, and
e i o ial cohesion. Wi hin his amewo k, he NRPP mus combine EU unds implemen ed by
Membe S a es and egions in o a cohe en , ailo ed planning p ocess, ully aligned wi h he
Union’s common p io i ies. Acco ding o he Eu opean Commission, hese plans will maximise
he impac o e e y eu o, p o ide mo e lexibili y o adap o egional and local needs, and
simpli y ules o Membe S a es and egions. The new deli e y sys em o he NRPP should
1 This und will accoun o app oxima ely 44% o he o al budge (€772 billion).
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
102
accommoda e he di e si y o Membe S a es, o e ing hem lexibili y o de elop na ional,
sec o al, and, whe e ele an , egional and e i o ial chap e s, as is cu en ly pe mi ed unde
he ules (Table 1). In gene al, he pa ne ships will be less p esc ip i e on how o achie e
common objec i es, bu mo e demanding on wha o accomplish, ensu ing ull espec o he
p inciple o subsidia i y. Wi hin he NRPPs: (i) ag icul u e and u al a eas emain a p io i y,
s eng hening he EU’s s a egic au onomy, ood secu i y and sus ainabili y; (ii) cohesion policy
will be s eng hened and mode nised, wi h egions a i s co e; (iii) a social a ge o 14% will apply
o NRPP o s ee signi ican in es men s owa ds he implemen a ion o he Eu opean Pilla o
Social Righ s; (i ) he pa ne ships will ensu e ha he EU’s suppo o mig a ion, bo de
managemen and secu i y challenges is ailo ed o he needs o each Membe S a e and i s
egions and: ( ) ishe ies will emain he li eblood o ou coas al communi ies and economies. In
pa allel wi h he NRPPs, he Eu opean Commission has iden i ied he EU Facili y2 as a means o
suppo ac ions ha can be deli e ed mo e e icien ly a he Union le el, complemen ing p ojec s
implemen ed by Membe S a es and egions. This includes implemen ing he exclusi e
compe ences o he Union in a eas such as he conse a ion o ma ine biological esou ces
unde he Common Fishe ies Policy, suppo ing ocean policy, p omo ing social ac ions and
in es men s in social in as uc u e and he social economy a he EU le el, including he use o
gua an eed ins umen s, and p omo ing in e - egional o in e -ci y coope a ion.
Based on he MFF, he p oposal egula ion o only one Eu opean Fund o Economic, Social
and Te i o ial Cohesion, Ag icul u e and Ru al, Fishe ies and Ma i ime, P ospe i y and Secu i y
was published (2025/0240). The egula ion aims o espond o hese a ious challenges by: (i)
ensu ing be e cohe ence be ween EU p io i ies and na ional and egional ac ions; (ii) achie ing
simpli ica ion and be e alue o money by building a simple and mo e e icien deli e y sys em
and (iii) add essing eme ging policy p io i ies by acili a ing he ealloca ion esou ces o espond
o new needs and un o eseen c ises, wi hou pu ing a isk he ul ilmen o long- e m objec i es.
This egula ion is made up o XIII Ti les, o which Ti le III – Na ional and Regional Pa ne ship Plans
[A icle 21 o 25] and Ti le IX - Speci ic ype o suppo [A icle 71 o 79] a e highligh ed in he able
below.
2 Among he di e en EU budge en elop, he EU Facili y und includes o e 63 billion plus 9 billion (EU Facili y
cushion). The acili y will help o espond o na u al and man-made disas e s, building syne gies wi h o he policy
a eas co e ed unde he pa ne ships, such as ag icul u e. An unalloca ed cushion will p o ide he possibili y o
u he espond o unexpec ed e en s and disas e s in Membe S a es, should o he lexibili ies wi hin he na ional and
egional alloca ions no be su icien (Eu opean Commission, 2025b).
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
103
Table 1 - Eu opean Fund o economic, social and e i o ial cohesion, ag icul u e and u al, ishe ies and ma i ime,
p ospe i y and secu i y egula ion p o ision
Ti le
A icle
–
i le
P o ision
Ti le III – Na ional and Regional Pa ne ship Plans
A . 21 -
P epa a ion and
submission o he
Plan s eps
Each Membe S a e shall p epa e and submi o he Commission he
NRPP se ing ou i s agenda o e o ms, in es men s and o he
in e en ions (comma 1). The plan shall be p epa ed in pa ne ship wi h
he pa ne s as se ou in A icle 6 [Pa ne ship], including egional and
local au ho i ies, and in acco dance wi h hei ins i u ional, legal, and
inancial amewo ks. I shall also include na ional, sec o al, and, whe e
ele an , egional and e i o ial chap e s (comma 2).
A . 22 -
Requi emen s o
he NRPP
The NRPP shall suppo he gene al objec i es laid down in A icle 2 (i.e.
educe egional imbalances) and con ibu e in a comp ehensi e and
adequa e manne o all he speci ic objec i es laid down in A icle 3
(suppo he Union’s sus ainable p ospe i y e c.). Among he o he s, he
NRPP should e ec i ely con ibu e o p omo ing he use o coope a ion
in e en ions as e e ed o in A icle 74 [coope a ion in e en ions],
including in eg a ed e i o ial in es men in ci ies, u ban, u al and
coas al a eas, and communi y-led local de elopmen . I also should
include indica ions conce ning he minimum % o unds alloca ed o
social (a minimum o 14% o EU Con ibu ion o Loans), clima e and
en i onmen al objec i es.
A . 23
-
Commission
p oposal and
Council
implemen ing
decision
The a . desc ibes he p ocess (and imelines) o he assessmen and
app o al o he plan ollowing he scheme: he Commission makes he
p oposal assessmen ; he Council akes he implemen ing decision
A . 24
-
Amendmen o he
NRP Plan
A Membe S a e may submi o he Commission a easoned eques o an
amendmen o i s NRP Plan, oge he wi h he amended NRP Plan.
A 25 – Mid- e m
e iew
The Membe S a e shall e iew hei NRP Plans aking in o accoun he
challenges iden i ied, as pe a . 22, he socio-economic o he Membe
S a e, he main esul s assessed and he p og ess owa ds he
achie emen o he measu es e c.
Ti le IX – Speci ic ype o suppo
A . 74
-
Te i o ial
and local
coope a ion
ini ia i es
Membe S a es
may es ablish and p o ide suppo o coope a ion in he
ollowing a eas: in eg a ed e i o ial and u ban de elopmen ;
communi y-led local de elopmen , including LEADER and o he ci izen-
led ini ia i es; and sma illage s a egies.
A . 75 - In eg a ed
e i o ial and
u ban
de elopmen .
Suppo o e i o ial de elopmen shall be based on in eg a ed e i o ial
de elopmen s a egies, including ia communi y-led local de elopmen ,
ocused on u ban a eas, u al a eas, islands, coas al a eas, o any
app op ia e e i o ial a ea as well as sma specialisa ion o e i o ial jus
ansi ion s a egies, o s a egies o deca bonisa ion de eloped wi h he
suppo o Union ins umen s in he 2021 o 2027 pe iod, aking accoun ,
whe e ele an , o a unc ional a ea and place-based app oach. Mo e
speci ically, in eg a ed e i o ial and u ban de elopmen s a egies shall:
se ou he geog aphical a ea and popula ion co e ed by he s a egy;
p o ide an analysis o he de elopmen needs and a desc ip ion o an
in eg a ed; app oach o add ess he iden i ied de elopmen needs; se ou
key objec i es wi h measu able a ge s; se ou he in ol emen o
pa ne s in he p epa a ion and implemen a ion o he s a egy (comma 2).
In i s comma 3, i is es ablished ha S a egies implemen ed pu suan o
his A icle shall be selec ed by he managing au ho i y(ies) in iew o
p o iding suppo , including o hei p epa a ion. They shall be
implemen ed unde he esponsibili y o he ele an e i o ial o u ban
au ho i ies o bodies, who shall selec o be in ol ed in he selec ion o
ope a ions.
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
104
A . 76 -
Communi y-led
local
de elopmen
Communi y
-
led local de elopmen shall: ocus on sub egional a eas,
u al and coas al a eas; be designed and implemen ed by local ac ion
g oups composed o ep esen a i es o public and p i a e local
s akeholde s, in which no single in e es g oup con ols he decision-
making; be ca ied ou h ough s a egies in acco dance wi h A icle 75,
suppo i e o inno a i e ea u es in he local con ex , ne wo king and
coope a ion wi h o he e i o ial ac o s (comma 1). Suppo om he Fund
o communi y-led local de elopmen shall co e shall co e : capaci y
building and p epa a o y ac ions suppo ing he design o he s a egy;
p epa a ion and implemen a ion o he ope a ions selec ed unde he
s a egy, including coope a ion ac i i ies and he managemen ,
moni o ing and e alua ion o he s a egy and i s anima ion, including he
acili a ion o exchanges be ween s akeholde s and communica ion o he
s a egy and he Union (comma 2).
How is he cu en discussion a ound he new MFF e ol ing?
The ollowing sec ions p o ide an o e iew o he cu en deba e by unpacking he ins i u ional
discussion su ounding he new MFF. They ou line he main a gumen s in a ou o changing he
cu en con igu a ion o cohesion policy, highligh he elemen s ha should be main ained, and
discuss he po en ial isks associa ed wi h he p esen MFF amewo k.
Main a gumen s o change: an ins i u ional iew
Acco ding o “The oad o he nex mul iannual inancial amewo k” published by he
Eu opean Commission (2025a), cohesion policy has been success ul in educing e i o ial
dispa i ies. Howe e , 29% o EU ci izens s ill eside in egions wi h a GDP pe capi a below 75%
o he EU a e age, and app oxima ely 30% o ci izens li e in places ha , o e he las wo
decades, ha e slowly allen behind. In iew o MFF es uc u ing, in ea ly 2025, he Eu opean
Commission ad oca ed o a simple EU budge , which necessi a es imp o ed coo dina ion
(o e 50 spending p og ammes a e cu en ly ac i e) o complemen he complexi y and igidi y
o egula ions. Indeed, i has been ecognised ha bene icia ies ha e di icul ies in na iga ing he
mul iplici y o ules and c i e ia, despi e he simpli ica ion measu es in oduced in he cu en
inancial amewo k. The agmen a ion o he inancial landscape also esul s in an excessi e
numbe o p og amming documen s, which a e esou ce-in ensi e o all adminis a ions
in ol ed and cause se e e delays, he eby educing he capaci y o local uni s o uly bene i
om hem.
By con as : wha o main ain
The Council o he Eu opean Union (2025), unde lined he need o e lec on how o make
cohesion policy mo e pe o mance-based o enhance i s e iciency, building on i s own
expe iences as well as lessons lea ned om o he EU ins umen s, and on i s s eng hs – sha ed
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
105
managemen , mul i-le el go e nance, a place-based app oach, and he pa ne ship p inciple. In
he same pe iod, he Eu opean Commission (2025b) calls o a pe o mance-based ins umen
ollowing he me hod used o he Reco e y and Resilien Facili y (RRF) while he Eu opean Cou
o Audi o s (2025) does no conside RRF a pu e pe o mance-based ins umen , sugges ing ha
he nex MFF should ocus on examining he lexibili y o he EU budge o ensu e bo h a su icien
deg ee o p edic abili y and he abili y o eac p omp ly and p opo iona ely o changing
ci cums ances. I sugges s s eng hening he link be ween EU unds suppo ing he e o m o
ecu ing s uc u al challenges, while aking in o accoun na ional and egional speci ici ies.
Again, he Council o he Eu opean Union (2025), in i s Conclusions on he cohesion policy pos -
2027, ecognising he cen ali y o cohesion policy, s esses ha cohesion policy should
con inue o achie e s a egic goals and p io i ies o he Eu opean Union while add essing
na ional and egional p io i ies. This mus be gua an eed by i s key p inciples: sha ed
managemen , mul i-le el go e nance, pa ne ship, as well as a people and place-based
app oach. These p inciples ha e also been highligh ed by he G oup o High-Le el Specialis s on
he Fu u e o cohesion policy3, in cha ge by he Eu opean Commission o elabo a ing a epo on
how o ensu e ha cohesion policy pos -2027 con inues o suppo g ow h and eco e y ac oss
Eu ope’s egions, all he while deli e ing on he g een and digi al ansi ion and helping egions
adjus o ongoing demog aphic, indus ial, and geopoli ical challenges. Fu he mo e, expe s
ha e also emphasised ha cohesion is mo e c ucial han e e i he EU is o add ess i s g owing
long- e m s uc u al challenges e ec i ely. Cohesion is hus c i ical o all, as i add esses low
de elopmen , long- e m economic s agna ion, and a lack o oppo uni ies ac oss all egions.
Wha a e he isks o he new MMF?
Beyond his ins i u ional deba e, he e is a g owing discussion among EU cohesion policy
expe s (Cole i and Filippe i, 2025) and a ious s akeholde s ega ding he new MFF p oposal.
The p ima y conce ns pe ain o he po en ial loss o egional and u ban dimensions (Eu oci ies,
2025; CEMR, 2023). Al hough he MFF acknowledges he impo ance o he egional le el, i
g an s na ional go e nmen s comple e lexibili y in de e mining he ex en o egional
in ol emen in he p og amming p ocess. Combined wi h he absence o any ea ma ked unds
o ci ies, his app oach aises se ious conce ns abou he weakening o mul i-le el go e nance.
Acco ding o he Assembly o Eu opean Regions’ Policy B ie (2025), he new MFF en ails se e al
implica ions o he unc ioning o cohesion policy, such as, o ins ance: (i) cen alisa ion and
3 Fo mo e de ails: Repo o G oup o High-Le el Specialis s on he Fu u e o Cohesion Policy - EURoma
Eu opean Jou nal o Spa ial De elopmen 22(4)
106
simpli ica ion - Membe S a es will be equi ed o p epa e a single NRPP o eplace he 14
sepa a e p og ammes cu en ly in place. While his is p esen ed as a simpli ica ion and is mean
o educe adminis a i e bu den, he eali y is ha he inclusion o egional and e i o ial
chap e s is le en i ely o he disc e ion o Membe S a es; (ii) compe i ion o unds - by
expanding he NRPPs o co e a b oad ange o p io i ies - om cohesion and u al de elopmen
o ishe ies, mig a ion, ou ism, and e en secu i y - p og ammes will be o ced o compe e
agains each o he wi hin a single na ional en elope; (iii) dilu ion o cohesion objec i es - he
p oposal explici ly opens he doo o using cohesion unds o inance new policy a eas such as
de ence and secu i y, alongside adi ional objec i es. G ouping such di e se p io i ies unde
one plan isks blu ing he ocus o cohesion, c ea ing di e gence be ween goals, and
unde mining e o s o educe inequali ies; (i ) weak mul i-le el go e nance - he NRPPs include
only a ague mechanism o s akeholde consul a ion, which places egional au ho i ies on he
same le el as o he seconda y ac o s such as academia o ci il socie y o ganisa ions and; ( ) oo
much lexibili y di e s esou ces om e i o ial needs - Membe S a es a e g an ed signi ican
leeway o amend hei NRPPs in esponse o c ises o un o eseen ci cums ances, wi h no
obliga ion o consul egions when making hese changes.
Discussion: Who a e he lose s and who a e he winne s?
As ou lined abo e, he launch o he MFF by he Eu opean Commission is unde sc u iny. The
nego ia ion phase is ongoing and is expec ed o las app oxima ely wo mo e yea s. Mos likely,
he MFF will be amended in ce ain pa s, and de ails will be changed o accommoda e a ious
in e es s. Howe e , i is becoming inc easingly clea ha he alues and p inciples unde lying
his MFF p oposal di e ge signi ican ly om wha has been associa ed wi h EU cohesion policy
in he pas . Upon examining he cu en p oposal and he a ious discussions su ounding i , i
becomes appa en ha he new con igu a ion o he MFF is sub ly al e ing i s mission om being
a ool o educe egional dispa i ies o a pu ely inancial ool a he disposal o Membe S a es. I
appea s ha he new o ma has clea ly highligh ed he ole o he Eu opean Commission, which
is delega ing esponsibili y o Membe S a es o u ilise he alloca ed unds wi hou any addi ional
esponsibili y owa ds sub-na ional ac o s (as was done, in pa icula , owa ds egions wi h he
p e ious Regional Ope a ional P og ammes). On he o he hand, Membe S a es ha e comple e
lexibili y in using he alloca ed unding o shape he NRPP p io i ies, wi h no e ec i e obliga ion
in e ms o con en , pa ne ship, o go e nance. While he winne s a e iden i ied, who a e
expec ed o be he lose s?
The egula ion p oposal can p o ide some clea wa nings on i . Acco dingly, A icle 21
men ions he p inciple o pa ne ship, unde s ood as he in ol emen o egional and local
