Last October 13, the Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, and the President of the Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő, launched the 23rd European Week of Regions and Cities.
Under the motto ‘Shaping tomorrow, together,’ this three-day event brings together 6,500 participants from all over the EU, including policymakers, practitioners, project promoters, civil society, and researchers. ‘Cohesion and Growth for the Future,’ ‘Right to Stay: Unlocking the Potential of Every Territory,’ and ‘Cities Building Tomorrow’ are the three focal topics of the week’s over 200 sessions.
Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reform Raffaele Fitto said: “The European Week of Regions and Cities offers a great opportunity for dialogue on the most important issues for our citizens. Representatives from all over the European Union give us the possibility to work on tailor-made solutions and ensure a place-based approach. Cooperation and partnership are key for the success of cohesion policy. We are committed to improve the lives of our citizens, reducing disparities and promoting territorial development in all regions.“
President of the Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő said: “The European Week of Regions and Cities provides a unique platform for all those who work every day to make Europe stronger on the inside, thanks to EU’s cohesion policy. Facing multiple crises, regions and cities invest cohesion funds to stabilise and innovate regional economies, counter industrial decline, fight poverty and increase our communities’ preparedness and resilience. The European Commission is our crucial partner in this endeavor and we must preserve this strategic, daily cooperation in the future, as regional and local leadership can make a difference for the EU to achieve its objectives, including on new priorities as internal safety and international competitiveness.“
Cohesion policy: A proven catalyst for progress
Discussions will be framed by three evaluation reports published today by the Commission on the 2014-2020 cohesion programming, the 2021-2027 mid-term review and the Covid crisis repair and recovery fund REACT-EU. These evaluations offer concrete evidence of the policy’s achievements and impacts despite the numerous challenges of the past years:
- In 2014-2020, cohesion policy supported over 2.5 million SMEs, the creation of 370,000 jobs and childcare facilities for 24 million children.
- Over €66 billion were invested in climate-related projects, while the EU’s capacity for renewable energy production increased by more than 6,000 Megawatts, and 8 million households got access to broadband.
- Cohesion policy contributed to boosting the EUs GDP by 0.6%, as well as job growth and mitigation of regional disparities.
The evaluations show that to maximize effectiveness, the policy must be supported by robust governance, strong administrative capability, and a conducive economic and business environment.
Advancing towards a modern and adaptive cohesion policy
Cohesion policy’s recently approved mid-term review increased flexibility and simplicity by allowing Member States and regions to reallocate funds towards strategic priorities such as competitiveness, defence, affordable housing, water resilience, and energy transition. It also aligned with the objectives of the ‘Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform’, which has already supported investments over €12.2 billion in critical technologies, including clean tech, deep tech, and biotech.
Unlocking every territory’s unique potential
Addressing regional and social disparities remains central to the EU’s agenda to ensure that, irrespective of location, citizens have the right to remain and grow within their communities. Through 2021-2027, cohesion policy has and will continue to provide substantial support to that end, including €7.2 billion for healthcare and long-term care, €5.6 billion for education and training, €7.5 billion for housing, and €40.5 billion for enhanced connectivity and access to efficient transport systems.
A new EU Agenda for Cities
The Commission has also released the ‘EU Social Progress in Cities and Urban Areas’ study, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in areas such as affordable housing and sustainable mobility. To address these challenges, a new EU Agenda for Cities is set for adoption later this year.
Background
The European Week of Regions and Cities, co-organised by the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions, is the biggest Brussels-based event dedicated to cohesion Policy.
The programme highlights include the REGIOSTARS Awards celebrating the excellence in EU-funded projects in EU regions and the Megalizzi-Niedzelski prize for aspiring journalists showing a strong attachment to EU values.
More information: European Commission
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