Sittings · Document

OPINION (2024/2051(INI)) 2025-04-02

On a revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world

Committee on Regional Development · Rapporteur: AdrianDragoş Benea

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AMENDMENT

The Committee on Regional Development submits the following to the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to Chapter 3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Commission delegated regulation of 7 January 2014 on the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds1a,

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1a OJ L 74, 14.3.2014, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2014/240/oj.

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to its resolution of 21 November 2023 on possibilities to increase the reliability of audits and controls by national authorities in shared management1a,

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1a OJ C, C/2024/4207, 24.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/4207/oj.

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 20 November 2024 entitled ‘A renewed Cohesion Policy post 2027 that leaves no one behind - CoR responses to the 9th Cohesion Report and the Report of the Group of High-Level Specialists on the Future of Cohesion Policy’,

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 February 2025 entitled ‘The road to the next multiannual financial framework’ (COM(2025)0046),

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to ECA Special report 22/2024: ‘Double funding from the EU budget’1a,

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1a OJ C, C/2024/6375, 23.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/6375/oj.

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Citation 19 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to its report on the Ninth report on economic and social cohesion (2024/2107(INI)),

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas spending through the Union budget, if effectively targeted, aligned with the Union’s political priorities and coordinated with spending at national level, helps to avoid fragmentation in the single market and to boost the overall impact of public investment; whereas public investment is essential to incentivise private investment;

C. whereas spending through the Union budget, if effectively targeted, aligned with the Union’s political priorities and coordinated with spending at national, regional and local levels, helps to avoid fragmentation in the single market and to boost the overall impact of public investment; whereas public investment is essential to incentivise private investment; whereas EU investment acts as the main driver of public investment in many Member States;

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ca. whereas the limited resources and the multitude of policies make it necessary to establish a clear hierarchy; whereas cohesion is enshrined in the Treaties as a core objective of the Union, reflecting the Union’s founding principle of fostering economic, social, and territorial cohesion among its Member States, and serves as a primary mechanism through which the Union delivers tangible benefits to its citizens; whereas a properly funded and effectively implemented cohesion policy reinforces public trust in the European project and plays a crucial role in promoting European integration by demonstrating the Union’s commitment to balanced economic growth and competitiveness;

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Cb. whereas 29 % of EU citizens still live in regions with a GDP per capita below 75 % of the EU average and about 135 million people live in places which have slowly fallen behind;

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Recital C c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Cc. whereas spending through the Union budget directed at regional development and cohesion should respect the principle of subsidiarity, whereby the programming of spending should be done at the most appropriate local or regional level; whereas any centralisation attempts to channel regional development funding through a single national plan would undermine the principle of subsidiarity and the main goals of cohesion policy;

Amendment 12

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas the NextGenerationEU recovery instrument (NGEU) established in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled significant additional investment capacity of EUR 750 billion in 2018 prices, which was supposed to lead to a recovery and return to growth and to support the green and digital transitions; whereas NGEU will not be in place post-2027; whereas the grant component of NGEU, which will be financed through the EU budget, involves joint borrowing and risk sharing and therefore cannot be considered a cost-free measure; whereas the output gains from NGEU are still pending assessment by the Commission;

Amendment 13

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Da. whereas the absorption of cohesion policy funds 2021-2027 has been slower than in the previous programming period, not as a result of diminished demand from Member States or regions, but rather due to the late adoption of sectoral legislation, systemic delays in the approval of operational programmes, the transitional period between Multiannual Financial Frameworks, the prioritisation of NextGenerationEU funds by national managing authorities, constrained administrative capacities and overly complex bureaucratic procedures; whereas Member States and regions may defer the absorption of allocated funds in anticipation of a potential extension under the N+3 rule;

Amendment 14

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

E. whereas the Union budget, bolstered by NGEU, has been instrumental in alleviating the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis and in responding to the effects of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; whereas the Union budget remains ill-equipped, in terms of size, structure and rules, to fully play its role in adjusting to evolving spending needs, addressing shocks and responding to crises and giving practical effect to the principle of solidarity;

E. whereas the Union budget, and in particular cohesion policy funding, through instruments such as Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) and CRII+, Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE), Flexible Assistance to Territories (FAST-CARE) and Supporting Affordable Energy (SAFE), bolstered by NGEU, has been instrumental in alleviating the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis and in responding to the effects of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; whereas the Union budget remains ill-equipped, in terms of size, structure and rules, to fully play its role in adjusting to evolving spending needs while keeping its structural approach, addressing shocks and responding to crises and giving practical effect to the principle of solidarity and ensuring that all regions, particularly those facing economic disparities, demographic decline, or structural disadvantages, receive adequate resources to support their resilience and sustainable development;

Amendment 15

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ea. whereas during the last parliamentary term cohesion policy became the de facto first-choice source of emergency funding to address any challenge or unforeseen event, which has resulted in constant changes in the regulatory framework and eroded the policy’s strategic focus; whereas in its communication of 11 February 2025 the Commission has clearly acknowledged the inadequacy of these ad hoc solutions ;

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Amendment 16

Motion for a resolution

Recital E b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Eb. whereas all levels of government –national, regional, and local – share the responsibility of ensuring that Europeans can live in a democratic, competitive, fair, and secure European Union; whereas only a joint and coordinated effort, driven by a strong multilevel governance approach, can effectively mobilise capacities, funds, and partnerships to advance together toward shared prosperity and resilience;

Amendment 17

Motion for a resolution

Recital E c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ec. whereas the European Union’s cities and regions are the backbone of the European project, bringing EU policies to life for citizens; whereas local and regional governments play a pivotal role in delivering the social, economic, environmental, and physical infrastructure that sustains communities, businesses, markets, jobs, farmers and SMEs; whereas public trust in local and regional governments reached 60 % in 2024, the highest among all levels of governance, underscoring their key role in fostering democratic legitimacy and effective policymaking;

Amendment 18

Motion for a resolution

Recital E d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ed. whereas place-based integrated investment plans enable policies tailored to the specific needs of communities, enhancing the effectiveness, legitimacy, and territorial cohesion of EU actions; whereas such plans foster cooperation among municipalities and key local actors – including businesses, industries, financiers, communities and NGOs – to deliver cross-cutting solutions for employment, economic growth, and climate neutrality; whereas empowering regional and local authorities to co-design these plans allows the EU to unlock the full transformative potential of its investments, ensuring a more inclusive and impactful approach to development;

Amendment 19

Motion for a resolution

Recital E e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ee. whereas the newly created ‘EU Councillors’ network jointly run by the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission boosts their ability to gather evidence of how the Union is functioning on the ground, as well as their capacity to connect the Union with citizens via subnational elected leaders:

Amendment 20

Motion for a resolution

Recital F

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

F. whereas, since the adoption of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), the political, economic and social context has changed beyond recognition, compounding underlying structural challenges for the Union and leading to a substantial revision of the MFF in 2024;

F. whereas, since the adoption of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), the political, economic and social context has changed, compounding underlying structural challenges for the Union and leading to a substantial revision of the MFF in 2024;

Amendment 21

Motion for a resolution

Recital G

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

G. whereas the context in which the Commission will prepare its proposals for the post-2027 MFF is every bit as challenging, with the established global and geopolitical order changing quickly and radically and the Union budget needing to be adapted accordingly and in full compliance with the ‘do no harm to cohesion’ principle; whereas the Commission proposal should evaluate current and emerging challenges in order to avoid major revisions within MFF headings in the future;

Amendment 22

Motion for a resolution

Recital G a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ga. whereas the current geopolitical challenges highlight the need for a consolidated and consistent approach at European level, to ensure both the security and defence of the continent and also economic and social cohesion, while also stimulating cross-sector competitiveness; whereas rising international tensions and emerging risks call for a more flexible budget that can respond swiftly to the Union’s strategic needs and assist the Member States with crisis management;

Amendment 23

Motion for a resolution

Recital H

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

H. whereas, in order to compensate for the budget’s shortcomings, there have been numerous workaround solutions that make the budget more opaque, undercutting Parliament’s role as legislator and budgetary and discharge authority and in holding the executive to account;

H. whereas, in order to compensate for the budget’s shortcomings, there have been numerous workaround solutions and several legislative changes adopted by urgent procedure entailing, inter alia, a repurposing of the 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 cohesion policy resources, that make the budget more opaque, undercutting Parliament’s role as legislator and budgetary and discharge authority and in holding the executive to account;

Amendment 24

Motion for a resolution

Recital H a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ha. whereas weather- and climate-related extremes caused over EUR 650 billion in economic losses between 1980 and 2022; whereas, moreover, as highlighted in the European Environment Agency’s first Climate Risk Assessment (Report No 1/2024), the implications of climate change affect the whole European continent, but disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to socio-economic factors further hampering the ability of vulnerable groups to recover from disasters, in particular in less-developed regions;

Amendment 25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Underlines that the post-2027 long-term budget must be designed and resourced so as to enable the Union to deliver on its policy objectives, tackle the growing challenges it faces, such as ensuring the safety and security of its people, manage and repay its debt sustainably, respond to shocks and crises and adjust to evolving spending needs, all while ensuring economic, social and territorial cohesion, which remains one of the fundamental objectives of the EU as set out in Article 3 TEU and Articles 174 and 175 TFEU; insists, therefore, that the overall volume of the MFF should at least be maintained;

Amendment 26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Stresses that all spending in the post-2027 MFF must be strategically aligned with the EU’s political aims, adding tangible value for the people of the Union, with discernible net benefits compared to spending at national or sub-national level and leading to real and lasting results;

2. Stresses that all spending in the post-2027 MFF must be strategically aligned with the EU’s political aims, including the consolidation of the single market, adding tangible value for the people of the Union and improving their quality of life, with discernible net benefits compared to spending at national or sub-national level and leading to real and lasting positive results for EU citizens;

Amendment 27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Underlines that a simpler, more flexible MFF requires more robust parliamentary accountability;

4. Underlines that a simpler, more flexible MFF requires more strategic planning based on clear and comprehensive data and impact assessments and more robust parliamentary accountability;

Amendment 28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Considers that, in view of the structural challenges facing the Union, the post-2027 MFF should adjust its spending focus to ensure that the Union can meet its strategic policy aims as detailed below;

5. Considers that, in view of the structural challenges facing the Union, the post-2027 MFF should adjust its spending focus to ensure that the Union can finance its most strategically important policies, such as cohesion policy as detailed below, while recognising that the new MFF should at the same time provide for sufficient flexibility, so as to adapt to the needs of individual regions and Member States;

Amendment 29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Is convinced that boosting competitiveness, decarbonising the economy and enhancing the Union’s innovation capacity are central priorities for the post-2027 MFF and are vital to ensure long-term, sustainable and inclusive growth and a more resilient economy and society;

6. Is convinced that boosting competitiveness, decarbonising the economy, ensuring economic, social and territorial cohesion, necessary for a functioning single market, and enhancing the Union’s innovation capacity are central priorities for the post-2027 MFF and are vital to ensure long-term, sustainable and inclusive growth and a more resilient economy and society, built on local and regional specificities and traditions;

Amendment 30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6a. Underlines the conclusions of the Report of the High-Level Group on the Future of Cohesion Policy of February 2024, which demonstrate that competitiveness and economic, social and territorial cohesion are the two sides of the same coin; emphasises that, beyond the Draghi and Letta reports, the EU’s competitiveness ambitions depend on a strengthened partnership principle and a bold, long-term commitment to cohesion policy; is convinced that for the EU to increase its external competitiveness it must tap into the potential of all EU territories;

Amendment 31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6b. Believes that place-based policies are key to successful economic and social development; recalls that the EU’s main competitors have renewed their focus on territorial aspects to strengthen their economies;

Amendment 32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Underlines that, as spelt out in the Letta and Draghi reports, the European economy and social model are under intense strain, with the productivity, competitiveness and skills gap having knock-on effects on the quality of jobs and on living standards for EU citizens already grappling with high housing, energy and food prices; is concerned that a lack of job opportunities and quality services and the high costs of living increase the risk of depopulation and brain drain away from certain EU Member States and regions, especially less developed, rural and outermost regions, and away from the EU; considers that this phenomenon exacerbates the demographic crisis affecting the EU;

Amendment 33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Points out that Draghi puts the annual investment gap with respect to innovation and infrastructure at EUR 750-800 billion per year between 2025 and 2030; underlines that, while the Union budget cannot cover that shortfall alone, it must play a vital role prioritising strategic sectors, keeping a continuous and strong cooperation with the economic actors, enhancing public-private partnerships, simplifying and cutting red-tape;

Amendment 34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8a. Endorses the Draghi report’s call to concentrate EU efforts where they generate the greatest added value, ensuring full adherence to the ‘do no harm to cohesion’ principle; considers that this approach will enable local and regional authorities to actively shape EU policies and objectives in accordance with their specific needs, characteristics, and capacities, while safeguarding the Partnership Principle as a fundamental element of EU governance and shared management;

Amendment 35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8b. Emphasises that the Draghi report outlines a strategic vision for cities and urban areas, calling on the EU to expand opportunities for more cities and regions to participate in key sectors driving future growth, highlighting the need to build on existing initiatives such as Innovation Valleys, Net Zero Acceleration Valleys, and Hydrogen Valleys to foster economic transformation; stresses that the next EU budget must prioritise the territorial dimension of competitiveness by ensuring that EU funds reinforce local infrastructure and public services while driving industrial development, job creation, and market expansion to build a resilient European economy that benefits industry and citizens;

Amendment 36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Insists that, in the next MFF, more must be done to maximise the potential of the role of the European Investment Bank Group – together with other international and national financial institutions – in lending in strategic policy areas, such as climate and, latterly, dual-use defence projects;

Amendment 37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Emphasises that funding for research and innovation should be significantly increased, should be focused on the Union’s strategic priorities and should continue to be determined by the principle of excellence; considers that there should be sufficient resources across the MFF and at national level to fund all high-quality projects;

11. Emphasises that funding for research and innovation should be significantly increased, should be focused on the Union’s strategic priorities and should continue to be determined by the principle of excellence, taking into account geographical balance in order to avoid development gaps between EU regions and Member States; considers that there should be sufficient resources across the MFF and at national level to fund all high-quality projects;

Amendment 38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11a. Highlights the need to reduce the research and innovation gap between EU regions and Member States; emphasises the importance of ensuring that regions and businesses have access to innovation solutions, enabling their integration into production chains and contributing to economic growth and increased productivity;

Amendment 39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11b. Calls for enhanced support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on solutions that strengthen their economic integration, such as logistics hubs, microfinance centres for SMEs in disadvantaged areas, and regional partnership platforms between SMEs and educational institutions to foster innovation, competitiveness and sustainable development;

Amendment 40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11c. Stresses the importance of public-private partnerships, draw on cohesion funds and attracting private investment in order to maximise the impact of research by turning innovative ideas into products and services that support European competitiveness at global level;

Amendment 41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11d. Emphasises that any future ‘Competitiveness Fund’ and successor programmes to Horizon Europe in research and innovation must remain accessible to cities and regions, recognising their crucial role in driving economic growth, technological progress, and territorial cohesion;

Amendment 42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Stresses that the next MFF should include much greater funding for energy, transport and digital infrastructure, with priority given to cross-border connections and national links with European added value; considers that such infrastructure goes hand in hand with a deepening of the single market;

12. Stresses that the next MFF should include much greater funding for energy production and infrastructure, including storage capacity, energy security, connectivity and protection of energy infrastructure, transport, water and digital infrastructure as well as innovation, with priority given to cross-border connections and national links with European added value and accelerating the intra-European corridors envisaged in the Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) and Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T); draws attention to the need for increased support for energy and digital infrastructure projects in peripheral and rural areas; considers that such infrastructure goes hand in hand with a deepening of the single market;

Amendment 43

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12a. Recognises that energy security is a key element of the resilience and competitiveness of the Union and calls for increased funding for energy efficiency and projects that reduce dependency on external energy sources and support low energy prices for households and industry;

Amendment 44

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12b. Underlines that the Member States should make use of the upcoming Border Regions’ Instruments for Development and Growth (BridgeForEU) to reduce bureaucratic burdens for cross-border projects;

Amendment 45

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers that the Union must develop a competitiveness framework in line with its own values and political aims and that competitiveness must therefore be understood as encompassing not only economic growth, but also social, economic and territorial cohesion and environmental sustainability;

13. Considers that the Union must develop a competitiveness framework in line with its own values and political aims; recognises that competitiveness is built from the ground up, starting at the local and regional level; underlines that competitiveness must therefore be understood as encompassing not only economic growth, but also economic, social and territorial cohesion; stresses that cohesion, together with higher skills and innovation levels, a favourable business environment for SMEs and environmental sustainability, as well as policies to support families, are essential conditions for competitiveness;

Amendment 46

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13a. Calls for the next EU budget to prioritise competitiveness by reinforcing public investment and recognising its territorial dimension, ensuring that funding strategies are tailored to the national, regional and local socio-economic potential;

Amendment 47

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Underlines that a more competitive, productive and socially inclusive economy helps to generate high-quality, well-paid jobs, thus enhancing people’s standard of living; emphasises that, through programmes such as the European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+, the Union budget can play an important role in supporting education and training systems, boosting workforce adaptability through reskilling and upskilling, and thus preparing people for employment in a modern economy;

14. Underlines that a more competitive, productive and socially inclusive economy helps to generate high-quality, well-paid jobs, thus enhancing people’s standard of living and ensuring the ‘right to stay’; recalls that cohesion policy funds should prioritise projects to support local and regional industries and economic sectors in order to create a strong economic environment that would ensure well-paid jobs and stop depopulation; emphasises that, through funds and programmes such as the European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+, and the Just Transition Fund, the Union budget can play an important role in supporting education and training systems, boosting workforce adaptability through reskilling and upskilling, and thus preparing people at all stages of their professional life for employment in a modern economy;

Amendment 48

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Emphasises that food security is a vital component of strategic autonomy and that the next MFF must continue to support the Union’s farming and fisheries sectors, including small and young farmers and fishers, and help the sectors to better protect the climate and biodiversity; highlights the crucial role of the common agricultural policy in increasing productivity through technical progress, ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers and guaranteeing food security; calls for adequate funding for the common agricultural policy in the next MFF;

17. Emphasises that food security is a vital component of strategic autonomy and that the next MFF must continue to support the Union’s farming and fisheries sectors, including small and young farmers and fishers, and help the sectors to better protect the climate and biodiversity; highlights the crucial role of the common agricultural policy in helping to reach economies of scale and increase productivity through technical progress, ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers and guaranteeing food security; calls for strong funding for the common agricultural policy in the next MFF;

Amendment 49

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18. Recalls that social, economic and territorial cohesion is a cornerstone of European integration and is vital in binding the Union together and deepening the single market; underlines that a modernised cohesion policy must follow a decentralised, place-based, multilevel governance approach and be built around the shared management and partnership principle, fully involving local and regional authorities;

18. Recalls that economic, social and territorial cohesion is a cornerstone of European integration and is vital in binding the Union together in solidarity and deepening the single market and therefore should be a key pillar of the next MFF; underlines that a modernised cohesion policy must follow an anticipatory, decentralised, integrated, place-based, multilevel governance approach and be built on the shared management, subsidiarity and partnership principles, fully involving local and regional authorities; opposes, therefore, any form of top-down centralisation reform of cohesion policy;

Amendment 50

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18a. Considers that, in the next MFF, the share of the total budget devoted to cohesion policy should be maintained or even increased, in order to safeguard its fundamental role in reducing regional disparities and shaping a more resilient and competitive Europe that leaves no one behind; emphasises that any reduction in cohesion policy funding would undermine the Union’s commitment to balanced and sustainable development, particularly in less-developed and transition regions;

Amendment 51

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18b. Is of the opinion that regional GDP per capita must remain the main criterion for determining Member States’ allocations under cohesion policy; considers that regional GDP per capita might possibly be complemented by other regional socio-economic indicators (e.g. social, demographic, etc.) that help reflect more accurately the socio-economic situation of the regions;

Amendment 52

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18c. Calls for the co-financing rate to be determined at the NUTS 3 level to more accurately reflect local development levels and budgetary capacities, which may not be adequately captured in NUTS 2 level assessments; emphasises that a more granular approach to co-financing determination would improve the precision and fairness of funding allocations, ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed to reduce regional disparities;

Amendment 53

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18d. Stresses that the Cohesion Fund should continue to provide appropriate support to Member States with a gross national income (GNI) per capita below 90 % of the EU-27 average to develop their large-scale transport, environment and energy infrastructure;

Amendment 54

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18e. Highlights the importance of local and regional authorities (LRAs) in implementing EU policies and their crucial role in achieving common EU policy goals;

Amendment 55

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18f. Underlines the importance of the partnership principle, which implies the full involvement of regional and local authorities at all stages of the decision-making process related to cohesion policy, from design to programming, implementation and monitoring, as well as the participation of stakeholders, social partners and civil society representatives; stresses that partnership enables the effective design and implementation of local investment plans, reinforcing democratic legitimacy and strategic coordination;

Amendment 56

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18g. Insists on the application of the partnership principle as outlined in Article 8 of the Common Provisions Regulation1a; emphasises that its application should not be reduced to a mere box-ticking consultation exercise but must entail structured, regular, and mandatory cooperation or contractual agreements between all relevant levels of governance and serve as a genuine mechanism for defining joint priorities based on meaningful local and regional input; insists that the correct implementation of the partnership principle is considered an enabling condition for the approval of the operational programmes and should continue to be a prerequisite for the approval of programmes related to cohesion policy funds in the future;

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1a Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy, OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 159, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1060/oj.

Amendment 57

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 h (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18h. Suggests that a revised European Code of Conduct on Partnership should be integrated in the Common Provisions Regulation; calls on the Commission to explore measures to enhance Parliament’s oversight and monitoring powers on partnership agreements and programmes;

Amendment 58

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 i (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18i. Considers that a future-proof partnership principle must be firmly rooted in the subsidiarity principle, ensuring that decisions are made as close to citizens as possible and regularly assessed for compliance with EU, national and regional legislation;

Amendment 59

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 j (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18j. Considers that the Commission needs to consult regional and local authorities ahead of policy formulation and ahead of proposing any policy changes which might affect them; considers in particular that feedback collected from the authorities on the subnational level should serve as an input to the formulation of the upcoming MFF;

Amendment 60

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 k (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18k. Underlines the need for much better cooperation and communication with local actors and civil society, and most of all with citizens, addressing their needs, fears and concerns through specific projects using cohesion funds;

Amendment 61

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 l (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18l. Recalls the ‘do no harm to cohesion’ principle, meaning that no action should hamper the convergence process or contribute to regional disparities; recalls that all EU policies should generally contribute to balanced regional development and calls for this principle to be integrated as a cross-cutting principle in the design of spending programmes; believes that Territorial Impact Assessments (TIAs) are the best available way to implement the ‘do no harm to cohesion’ principle; calls for a ‘cohesion check’ of all new EU initiatives to prevent duplication of cohesion objectives and ensure added value;

Amendment 62

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Stresses that cohesion policy funding must tackle the key challenges the Union faces, such as demographic change and depopulation, and target the regions and people most in need; highlights, in particular, the importance of enhanced support to address the EU-wide housing crisis affecting millions of families and young people;

19. Stresses that cohesion policy funding must tackle the key challenges the Union faces, such as economic, social and territorial disparities, regional development traps, the just transition, the lack of connectivity and essential quality public services in certain territories, the green and digital transition, industrial transformation, demographic change and depopulation, and the degradation of the environment including biodiversity loss; highlights, in particular, the importance of enhanced cohesion policy support to address the EU-wide housing crisis affecting millions of families and young people, through a European strategy for affordable housing;

Amendment 63

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19a. Considers that the EU should invest in social cohesion to ensure accessible, affordable and adaptable social services for all, including vulnerable groups, such as persons with disabilities; calls for adequate funding to combat poverty and social exclusion, particularly in marginalised communities and less-developed regions; highlights that a gender perspective is necessary to enable development; stresses that this encompasses among other things targeted measures for women in rural areas, aimed at improving women’s employment rate, work-life-balance, education, skills and opportunities;

Amendment 64

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19b. Underlines that cohesion policy funding must continue to be available for all regions (developed, transition and less developed) to tackle their specific challenges;

Amendment 65

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19c. Recalls, however, that cohesion policy should focus particularly on the least favoured regions, such as rural areas, eastern border regions, areas affected by industrial transition, regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps such as the northernmost regions with very low population density and islands, cross-border and mountain regions, as referred to in Article 174 TFEU, and outermost regions, as referred to in Article 349 TFEU;

Amendment 66

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19d. Stresses that cohesion policy should promote competitiveness and endogenous growth in such regions, investing in job creation, skills retention programmes, transport and digital connectivity; maintains that such measures should encourage the ‘right to stay’, reducing brain drain and migration of young people and women away from those regions; emphasises that investments in affordable housing and access to essential services, such as healthcare, education and postal and banking services are equally important to reverse talent migration;

Amendment 67

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19e. Stresses that cross-border and regional cooperation tools, such as Interreg, must be strengthened and expanded, recognising that addressing complex challenges requires coordinated action beyond individual regional capacities; underlines the need for a stable and continuous framework that enhances the strategic role of Interreg programmes in promoting cross-border cooperation, regional integration, and balanced territorial development across the EU;

Amendment 68

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19f. Underlines that expanding Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) plans and unlocking their full potential could make them a cornerstone of future Cohesion Policy; considers that, by serving as investment frameworks aligned with both national and local strategies, ITIs can enhance coordinated development and strengthen collective resilience;

Amendment 69

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19g. Recalls that, as provided for in Article 349 TFEU, the outermost regions (ORs) require adequate and increased financial support, particularly in terms of food and energy autonomy, support for basic infrastructure and for local workers and businesses, in order to compensate for the additional costs associated with remoteness, insularity and the high cost of living; considers, therefore, that the next MFF must guarantee adequate funding for ORs, in particular through cohesion policy funds and the specific allocations under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), as well as under European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) and the programme of options specifically relating to remoteness and insularity (POSEI) scheme; stresses, furthermore, the need to provide specific access mechanisms in order to maximise ORs’ participation in the Union’s programmes under direct management, such as those dedicated to research, innovation and environmental policies;

Amendment 70

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 h (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19h. Calls for an Islands Pact to be drawn up as soon as possible and implemented, with the participation of the principal stakeholders, namely national, regional and local authorities, economic and social operators, civil society, academia and non-governmental organisations, along the lines of the Urban Pact and the future Rural Pact;

Amendment 71

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 i (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19i. Underlines the importance of the place-based approach, especially in light of the different challenges facing rural and urban areas; points out that, while affordability of energy-efficient upgrades and solving vacancy issues in rural areas are existential for rural communities, overpopulation and homelessness are primarily challenges in urban areas;

Amendment 72

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 j (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19j. Underlines that the development of rural regions under cohesion policy must be holistic and that focusing simply on agricultural development omits crucial challenges in rural areas such as demography, connectivity, the digital transformation, the accessibility of quality public services, and it leaves behind those workers, especially women and young people, seeking opportunities outside of agriculture;

Amendment 73

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 k (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19k. Emphasises that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is essential alongside Cohesion Policy funds in supporting rural areas and ensuring balanced territorial development; stresses that, if the EAFRD remains within the Common Agricultural Policy, its regulatory framework must be aligned with Cohesion Policy to enhance synergies, reduce administrative complexity, and enable the effective implementation of multi-funded rural development projects;

Amendment 74

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 l (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19l. Emphasises that urban areas face their own difficulties in achieving their sustainability goals, which are different from those of rural areas; calls for a tailor-made agenda for metropolitan areas;

Amendment 75

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 m (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19m. Calls, furthermore, for enhanced access to EU funding for cities, regions and urban authorities;

Amendment 76

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 n (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19n. Calls for the setting-up of a simplified and streamlined mechanism aimed at ensuring direct funding for cities in the next MFF, with the inclusion of smart conditionality;

Amendment 77

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 o (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19o. Highlights, in particular, the importance of enhanced support to address the EU-wide housing crisis affecting millions of families and young people; calls for increased investments in sustainable and energy-efficient housing solutions in regions across the EU, addressing housing shortages and high levels of social exclusion; highlights the strategical importance of cohesion policy investments in this respect;

Amendment 78

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 p (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19p. Is of the opinion that renovations of buildings, especially vulnerable and energy poor households, or where applicable, social housing and public buildings, should receive proper financing through grants, financial incentives and other policy measures;

Amendment 79

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 q (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19q. Underlines the potential of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) in transforming areas and infrastructures, in particular those associated with poverty and abandonment; considers that increasing the funding and the visibility of the NEB would particularly benefit the projects which do not typically attract private investments but have an enormous significance for the local population;

Amendment 80

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Points out that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had substantial economic and social consequences, in particular in Member States bordering Russia; insists that the next MFF provide support to these regions;

20. Points out that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had substantial economic and social consequences, in particular in the eastern border regions; insists that the next MFF provide additional support to these regions; highlights the importance of adapting cohesion policy to the evolving geopolitical landscape by creating a tailored approach for regions on the eastern border, including in EU candidate countries; advocates for substantial investments to enhance connectivity and adequate funding for Interreg programmes in those regions;

Amendment 81

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21. Highlights that the green and digital transitions are inextricably linked to competitiveness, the modernisation of the economy and the resilience of society and that, therefore, the post-2027 MFF must continue to support the twin transitions; recalls that cohesion policy funds have been instrumental for these transition processes; emphasises the need to reassess EU strategies to achieve the twin transitions in the light of the geopolitical situation, involving the regional and local authorities and the economic and civil actors using the cohesion funds to make our economy and our society more ecological, without jeopardising our competitiveness or the well-being of the population;

Amendment 82

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21a. Is worried about the large urban-rural differences in the quality of digital infrastructure in the EU and the risk of digital exclusion; stresses that the availability of broadband connections reduces depopulation; calls for investment in digital infrastructure in the next MFF;

Amendment 83

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21b. Highlights the need to ensure that all regions have the capacity to adapt to the digital transition by fostering digital skills and administrative capacity and supporting SMEs in transitioning to high-tech industries; calls for the reinforcement of capacity-building programmes to improve administrative efficiency and project implementation at the regional level;

Amendment 84

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Recalls that the Union is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, which requires a decarbonisation of the economy through the deployment of clean technologies, improved energy and transport infrastructure and more energy-efficient housing; notes that the Commission estimates additional investment needs to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at 1.5 % of GDP per year compared to the decade 2011-2020 and that, while the Union budget alone cannot cover the gap, it must remain a vital contributor;

22. Recalls that the Union is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, which requires a decarbonisation of the economy through the deployment of clean technologies, carbon sinks, capture and storage, improved energy production and infrastructure, including storage capacities, and transport infrastructure and more energy-efficient and climate proof housing; acknowledges that the Commission has provisionally included private investments in certain nuclear-related activities in the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities; believes that nuclear power plants contribute to both climate neutrality and strategic autonomy objectives, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and external sources; notes that the Commission estimates additional investment needs to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at 1.5 % of GDP per year compared to the decade 2011-2020 and that, while the Union budget alone cannot cover the gap, it must remain a vital contributor;

Amendment 85

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22a. Stresses that the EU’s decarbonisation targets require adequate cohesion policy support for large industrial businesses that need to adapt in the transition process, which also make major contributions to the development of regions;

Amendment 86

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22b. Calls for the promotion of decentralised renewable energy production in economically disadvantaged territories, ensuring that local communities directly benefit from the green transition through job creation and reduced energy costs;

Amendment 87

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22c. Emphasises that EU funding frameworks focusing on energy, transport and water infrastructure should be revised in order to better align EU public funding with the Union’s strategic goals, in particular improving European competitiveness and resilience to climate change;

Amendment 88

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22d. Stresses that EU funding frameworks like the Connecting Europe Facility should foster the adoption of digital technologies for the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure, thereby enabling its faster deployment and better return on investment over its entire life cycle;

Amendment 89

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23. Underlines that industry will be central in the transition to net zero and that support will be needed in helping some industrial sectors and their workers to adapt; stresses that the transition must leave no one behind, requiring investment in regions that are heavily fossil-fuel dependent and increased support for households, in particular through the Social Climate Fund;

23. Underlines that industry will be central in the transition to net zero and that targeted support will be needed in helping the most exposed industrial sectors and their workers to adapt and innovate, especially in those communities undergoing a rapid industrial transition; highlights that the transition to net zero should be managed in a balanced way; and be progressive, sustainable, technologically neutral and leave no one behind, requiring investment in regions that are heavily fossil-fuel dependent; draws attention to the measures taken under cohesion policy to ensure a just and fair transition and underlines that cohesion policy should continue to be a key contributor to supporting a socially just transition with a strong territorial dimension;

Amendment 90

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23a. Stresses the need for a stable and predictable budgetary framework to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of actions in this area, in conjunction with other European instruments financing the green transition, including in particular the Just Transition Fund, fully integrated into the Common Provisions Regulation, as the maintenance of the just transition process is necessary to promote the training, reskilling and integration of workers in the sectors of the future, to create new jobs and thus to ensure the competitiveness and attractiveness of the most vulnerable territories;

Amendment 91

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

23b. Highlights that increased support for enterprises and vulnerable households hit by energy poverty should be provided, in particular through the Social Climate Fund; regrets the lack of meaningful consultation with regional and local authorities when drafting Social Climate Plans;

Amendment 92

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24. Points to the profound technological shift under way, with new technologies such as artificial intelligence both creating opportunities, in terms of economic potential and improvements to the citizens’ lives, and posing reliability and ethical challenges; stresses that the next MFF must support the development and safe application of such technologies and help people to hone the skills they need to work with and use them;

24. Points to the profound technological shift under way, with new digital technologies such as artificial intelligence both creating opportunities, in terms of economic potential and improvements to the citizens’ lives, and posing reliability and ethical challenges; stresses that the next MFF must support the development and safe application of such technologies and help people to understand them and to hone the skills they need to work with and use them; stresses that the Commission and the Member States should consider the potential of artificial intelligence to analyse the progress of the implementation of cohesion objectives;

Amendment 93

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

24a. Underlines above all the importance of investment in artificial intelligence as a key factor for the European Union’s economic competitiveness and for maintaining a robust technology ecosystem; artificial intelligence not only revolutionises existing industries, but also creates new economic and social opportunities, and is essential for innovation, automation, increased productivity and cohesion; whereas without a strategic commitment in this field, the EU is at risk of lagging behind other economic powers;

Amendment 94

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25. Recalls that security is the foundation for the Union’s prosperity and social model and that the next MFF must invest significantly more in safeguarding the Union against the myriad threats it faces; points out, however, that security goes beyond the military dimension, and underlines that defence spending must not undermine other strategic objectives that are equally essential for the Union’s security, such as agriculture, which is crucial for food security, and cohesion policy, which is essential for the balanced development and stability of all EU regions;

Amendment 95

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25a. Highlights the need to support the budget of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism in the new MFF in order to improve the effectiveness of systems to prevent, prepare for and respond to natural and human-induced disasters;

Amendment 96

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26. Underlines that, as the Niinistö report makes clear, the fragmenting global order, more frequent and intense extreme weather events, the security threat posed by Russia, growing tensions globally, hybrid campaigns, including cyberattacks, foreign information manipulation, disinformation and interference, the instrumentalisation of migration, and health threats are combining to heighten instability and increase the Union’s vulnerability;

26. Underlines that, as the Niinistö report makes clear, the fragmenting global order, more frequent and intense extreme natural events, the security threat posed by Russia, growing tensions globally, hybrid campaigns, including cyberattacks, foreign information manipulation, disinformation and interference, the instrumentalisation of migration, and health threats are combining to heighten instability and increase the Union’s vulnerability;

Amendment 97

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

26a. Underlines the importance of consolidating actions against hybrid threats; calls for the EU to invest significantly in online defence, including in developing robust cybersecurity systems, in combating disinformation and in protecting democratic processes, such as European elections, from possible foreign interference;

Amendment 98

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

29. Underscores the importance of a competitive and resilient European defence technological and industrial base and considers that joint EU-level investment in defence can generate economies of scale, and thus significant savings for Member States, and help ensure interoperability of equipment and systems; points to the need to direct support towards the defence industry within the Union, thus creating quality high-skilled jobs;

29. Underscores the importance of a competitive and resilient European defence technological and industrial base and considers that joint EU-level investment in defence can generate economies of scale, including small and medium-sized enterprises and thus significant savings for Member States, and help ensure interoperability of equipment and systems; points to the need to direct support towards co-production in the defence industry within the Union, thus creating quality high-skilled jobs;

Amendment 99

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

30. Points to the importance of support in the budget for military mobility, which upgrades infrastructure for dual-use military and civilian purposes and thus contributes to the Union’s defence capabilities;

30. Stresses the strong overlap between the military transport network and the civilian TEN-T network; points to the importance of increasing allocations in the budget for military mobility, with a particular focus on upgrading and maintaining infrastructure for dual-use military and civilian purposes, including transport infrastructure, energy infrastructure and data infrastructure, thus contributing to the Union’s defence capabilities;

Amendment 100

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31. Emphasises that the Union needs to ramp up funding for preparedness across the board; underlines that, in addition to efforts to mitigate climate change through the green transition, significant investment is required to adapt to climate change, in particular to protect against and reduce the impact of natural disasters and severe weather events; considers that support for this purpose must be significantly increased in the next MFF;

31. Recalls that extreme weather events and natural disasters are resulting in loss of life and heavy damage to property and infrastructure; highlights that the human and material losses caused by natural disasters are significantly higher than infrastructure maintenance costs; emphasises that the Union needs to ramp up funding for preparedness across the board through a territorial approach that prioritises the most vulnerable regions and sectors; underlines that, in addition to efforts to mitigate climate change through the green transition, significant investment is required to boost climate adaptation and resilience, in particular to protect against and reduce the impact of natural disasters and severe weather events as well as to ensure that future and existing infrastructure and built environment can cope with increased climate risks; considers that support for this purpose must be significantly increased in the next MFF; underscores that cohesion policy already focuses on forward-looking investments that strengthen resilience, improve crisis preparedness for climate change, and support sustainable recovery efforts;

Amendment 101

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32a. Underlines that, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union needs to strengthen its strategic autonomy and avoid critical dependencies on non-EU countries in any essential fields, including healthcare, advanced technologies, the supply of raw materials and energy, and also in industrial and agri-food supply chains; considers that investment in internal production capacities, innovation and source diversification is essential to protect the Union’s economic and strategic security and to protect our citizens;

Amendment 102

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

34. Underscores the importance of continued funding, in the next MFF, for effective protection of the EU’s external borders; underlines the need to counter trafficking networks and address hybrid attacks and the instrumentalisation of migrants, in particular by a third country or a hostile non-state actor;

34. Underscores the importance of continued and increased funding, in the next MFF, strengthening border protection infrastructure and surveillance facilities, services and equipment for effective protection of the EU’s external borders; underlines the need to counter trafficking networks and address hybrid attacks and the instrumentalisation of migrants, in particular by a third country or a hostile non-state actor; stresses also the crucial role of European regions bordering Ukraine, Belarus and Russia in the stability of the continent, both for security and as a gateway for Ukrainian grain and goods; underlines the need for targeted and strong support for peripheral regions, particularly on the eastern border, to keep their vitality and help them cope with these challenges;

Amendment 103

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 38

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

38. Underlines that the budget must uphold the Union’s role as the world’s leading provider of development aid and climate finance in line with the Union’s global obligations and commitments; insists that the budget must continue to support the Union in its efforts to defend the rules-based international order, democracy, multilateralism, human rights and fundamental values;

38. Underlines that the budget must uphold the Union’s role as the world’s leading provider of development aid and climate finance in line with the Union’s global obligations and commitments and in line with realities on the ground; insists that the budget must continue to support the Union in its efforts to defend the rules-based international order, democracy, multilateralism, human rights and fundamental values;

Amendment 104

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 41

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

41. Considers that the next MFF is pivotal for preparing the Union for enlargement and the candidate countries for accession; recalls that the stability, security and democratic resilience of the candidate countries are inextricably linked to those of the EU and require sustained strategic investment to support their convergence with Union standards;

41. Considers that the next MFF is pivotal for preparing the Union for enlargement and the candidate countries for accession; recalls that the stability, security, respect for the rule of law and democratic resilience of the candidate countries are inextricably linked to those of the EU and require sustained strategic investment to support their convergence with Union standards; points to the need to be proactively prepared for the accession process through adequate measures to mitigate the impact of statistical effects on the funding of EU programmes during the programming period;

Amendment 105

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

42. Points to the need for strategically targeted support for pre-accession and for growth and investment; is of the view that post-2027 assistance should be provided in the form of both grants and loans; believes, in that context, that the future framework should allow for innovative financing mechanisms, including lending to candidate countries backed by the ‘headroom’ (the difference between the own resources and the MFF ceilings);

42. Points to the need for strategically targeted support for pre-accession and for growth and investment; is of the view that post-2027 assistance should be tailored to enhance both grants and loans; believes, in that context, that the future framework should allow for innovative financing mechanisms, including lending to candidate countries backed by the ‘headroom’ (the difference between the own resources and the MFF ceilings);

Amendment 106

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 43

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

43. Stresses that financial support must be conditional on the implementation of reforms and adherence to Union values; emphasises, in this regard, the need for a strong governance model that ensures parliamentary accountability, oversight and control;

Amendment 107

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 43 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

43a. Stresses the need to expand reforms to strengthen the preparedness of public administrations at the regional and local levels, emphasising the importance of necessary structural changes, including enhanced multilevel governance; underscores that such reforms are a key prerequisite for the effective implementation of EU funds, maximising their impact in strengthening the resilience of the economy;

Amendment 108

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

45. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause in the event of enlargement should be maintained in the next framework; stresses that national envelopes should not be affected in the event of enlargement; underlines that the next MFF will also have to reform key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, and plan for appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures;

45. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause in the event of enlargement should be maintained in the next framework; stresses that national envelopes should not be affected in the event of enlargement; underlines that the next MFF should review and improve, where necessary, the modus operandi of key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, and plan for appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures;

Amendment 109

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

45a. Calls for the use of a different budgetary instrument in the accession process, rather than a redistribution of existing cohesion funds, ensuring that regions currently benefiting from EU support do not see their allocations reduced as a result of enlargement; insists that new accession countries must be supported through additional financial means rather than through a redistribution of existing regional development programmes;

Amendment 110

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 46

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

46. Emphasises the importance of the Union budget in promoting and protecting democracy and the Union’s values, fostering the Union’s common cultural heritage and European integration, enhancing citizens’ engagement and youth participation and promoting fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the rule of law; points to the importance of independence of justice, the sound functioning of national institutions, support for civil society and de-oligarchisation;

46. Emphasises the importance of the Union budget for the Union itself and for the candidate countries for accession in promoting and protecting democracy and the Union’s values, fostering the Union’s common cultural heritage and European integration, enhancing citizens’ engagement and youth participation and promoting fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the rule of law; points to the importance of independence of justice, the sound functioning of national institutions, support for civil society, de-politicised allocation of public funds and de-oligarchisation;

Amendment 111

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 47 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

47a. Considers that consolidating border protection funding is essential; underlines the importance of creating sustainable partnerships with countries of origin and transit countries to address the underlying causes of migration and facilitate legal and safe migration routes;

Amendment 112

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 51

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

51. Recalls that the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation provides that final recipients should not be deprived of the benefits of EU funds in the event of sanctions being applied to their government; believes that, to date, this provision has not been effective and stresses the importance of applying a smart conditionality approach so that beneficiaries are not penalised because of their government’s actions; calls on the Commission to explore additional ways of ensuring that local and regional authorities, civil society and other beneficiaries can continue to benefit from Union funding in cases of breaches of the rule of law by national governments without weakening the application of the regulation;

51. Recalls that the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation provides that final recipients should not be deprived of the benefits of EU funds in the event of the mechanism being applied to their government; believes that, to date, this provision has not been effective and stresses the importance of applying a proportionality approach within the conditionality mechanism so that citizens are not penalised for their government’s actions; insists that the Commission divert resources to directly- and indirectly-managed programmes and to explore additional ways of funding ensuring that local and regional authorities, civil society and other beneficiaries can continue to benefit from Union funding in cases of breaches of the rule of law by national governments without weakening the application of the regulation;

Amendment 113

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 52

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

52. Stresses that a long-term budget that is fully aligned with the Union’s strategic aims requires that key objectives be mainstreamed across the budget through a set of horizontal principles, including the principles of better lawmaking, active subsidiarity, partnership and multilevel governance building on the lessons from the current MFF;

Amendment 114

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 55 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

55a. Underlines that, as obligation stemming from the UN Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), the Union must systematically mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities through all programmes in the MFF post-2027 by developing a methodology to track spending that benefits persons with disabilities, and by verifying that all programmes and EU-funded projects guarantee equal opportunities and accessibility to EU funding for persons with disabilities;

Amendment 115

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 59 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

59a. Shares the European Committee of the Regions’ view that the future MFF should offer the institution sufficient financial resources for its ever greater role in helping EU lawmakers design evidence-based policy and legislation that works on the ground;

Amendment 116

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60a. Acknowledges that, in the case of cohesion policy, while some simplification measures have been introduced in the 2021-2027 programming period, managing authorities and beneficiaries continue to face difficulties accessing funding as a result of the multiplicity of eligibility rules, application processes, co-financing rates and entry points; considers that fewer different funds and a single set of rules would facilitate access for beneficiaries, reduce the burden on the managing authorities, and increase absorption and the effectiveness of investments; considers that this could also pave the way for a more flexible policy, by enhancing the possibility of shifting funds between different cohesion related priorities during the programming period without multiple changes of the regulatory framework, to the advantage of the beneficiaries and in line with the agreed long-term policy objectives and the role of Parliament as co-legislator;

Amendment 117

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60b. Emphasises, however, that simplification does not mean centralisation and that the specific needs of local and regional governments must not be disregarded in the name of simplification; stresses that such centralisation could lead to bureaucratic inefficiencies, delays, and absorption challenges, ultimately weakening the effective deployment of EU funds and their impact on regional development;

Amendment 118

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60c. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the ‘one-stop shop’ approach for local administrations and beneficiaries, so as to reduce procedural complexity and improve accessibility to EU funds;

Amendment 119

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60d. Underlines that administrative capacity-building efforts have primarily targeted public authorities responsible for the implementation of cohesion funds; calls for a broader approach to administrative capacity building, including intermediary bodies, stakeholders and especially project beneficiaries;

Amendment 120

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60e. Calls for broader use of financing not linked to costs schemes and of simplified cost options, both for payments between the Commission and the Member States and between Member States and final beneficiaries, while addressing the reasons why such schemes have not been fully utilised so far;

Amendment 121

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60f. Underlines that the single audit principle, with recognised results across all EU funds to reduce audit burdens on beneficiaries and managing authorities alike, should be strengthened, and measures should be implemented to reduce duplicate controls and audits that overlap with national oversight of the same project and beneficiary;

Amendment 122

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60 g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60g. Considers that the future Cohesion Policy cycle should be supported by comprehensive regulatory adjustments, including greater flexibility in State aid rules within the cohesion objective and simplified public procurement procedures to enhance efficiency and accessibility; underlines that more flexible State aid procedures, such as accelerating EC authorisation processes, reducing administrative burdens, and expanding exemptions from notification requirements – along with regulations tailored to market dynamics, business needs, and regional specificities, would significantly improve the absorption of EU funds and foster the development of economic activities in EU regions;

Amendment 123

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 61

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

61. Calls for genuine simplification where there are overlapping objectives, diverging eligibility criteria and different rules governing aspects that should be uniform across programmes; considers that an assessment of which spending programmes should be included in the next MFF must be based on the above aspects, on the need to focus spending on clearly identified policy objectives and on the policy intervention logic of each programme;

Amendment 124

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62. Insists that a simpler budget must also be a more transparent budget, enabling better control of spending and reducing the risks of double funding; underlines that any reduction in programmes must be offset by a far more detailed breakdown of the budget by budget line, in contrast to some programme mergers in the current MFF, such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe), which is an example not to follow; calls, therefore, for a sufficiently detailed breakdown by budget line to enable proper accountability and ensure that decision-making in the annual budgetary procedure is meaningful;

62. Insists that a simpler budget must also be a more transparent budget, enabling better control of spending and reducing the risks of double funding; emphasises that, for this purpose, the cohesion funds must be kept distinct and independent from other funds for other purposes; underlines that any reduction in programmes must be offset by a far more detailed breakdown of the budget by budget line, in contrast to some programme mergers in the current MFF, such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe), which is an example not to follow; calls, therefore, for a sufficiently detailed breakdown by budget line to enable proper accountability and ensure that decision-making in the annual budgetary procedure is meaningful;

Amendment 125

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62a. Stresses that audit authorities, including the European Court of Auditors, should be involved in the design process of the next post-2027 MFF, and in particular of the future cohesion policy;

Amendment 126

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62b. Reiterates that EU-expenditure fraud adversely affects EU objectives and deprives final beneficiaries of the necessary resources; underlines that the Commission and the Member States should step up efforts to tackle fraud and corruption risk related to EU fund allocations;

Amendment 127

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62c. Underlines that any corrupt or fraudulent activities involving the use of EU funds harms the EU’s financial interests; highlights the important role of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in protecting the financial interests of the Union and reiterates therefore the need to provide these EU bodies with sufficient financial and human resources;

Amendment 128

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62d. Underlines that the European Commission should support the managing authorities in using the ARACHNE tool in order to guarantee efficient and effective use of EU funds;

Amendment 129

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62e. Highlights the need to strengthen controls on European funds that target cross-border and territorial cohesion between Member States and non-EU countries;

Amendment 130

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

64. Points out that, traditionally, the MFF has not been conceived with a crisis response or flexibility logic, but rather has been designed primarily to ensure medium-term investment predictability; underlines that, in a rapidly changing political, economic and social context, such an approach is no longer tenable; insists on sufficient in-built crisis response capacity in the next MFF to address unforeseen economic, energy or geopolitical crises which would no longer require putting the burden of crisis management on certain key policies, notably cohesion policy, at the expense of their long-term objectives;

Amendment 131

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 65

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

65. Underscores that the current MFF has been beset by a lack of flexibility and an inability to adjust to evolving spending priorities; considers that the next MFF needs to strike a better balance between investment predictability and flexibility to adjust spending focus; highlights that spending in certain areas requires greater stability than in others where flexibility is more valuable; stresses that recurrent redeployments are not a viable way to finance the Union’s priorities as they damage investments and jeopardise the delivery of agreed policy objectives;

65. Underscores that the current MFF has been beset by a lack of flexibility and an inability to adjust to evolving spending priorities; considers that the next MFF needs to strike a better balance between investment predictability and flexibility to adjust spending focus; highlights that spending in certain areas requires greater stability than in others where flexibility is more valuable; stresses that recurrent amendments of the relevant sectoral legislation, notably of the cohesion policy framework, and redeployments are not a viable way to finance the Union’s priorities as they damage investments and jeopardise the delivery of agreed policy objectives;

Amendment 132

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 68

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

68. Calls for a root-and-branch reform of the existing special instruments to bolster crisis response capacity; underlines that the current instruments are both inadequate in size and constrained by excessive rigidity, with several effectively ring-fenced according to crisis type; points out that enhanced crisis response capacity will ensure that cohesion policy funds are not called upon for that purpose and can therefore be used for their intended investment objectives;

68. Calls for a root-and-branch reform of the existing special instruments to bolster crisis response capacity; underlines that the current instruments are both inadequate in size and constrained by excessive rigidity, with several effectively ring-fenced according to crisis type, which prevents effective assistance to regions affected by crises; points out that enhanced crisis response capacity will ensure that cohesion policy funds are not called upon for that purpose and can therefore be used for their intended investment objectives;

Amendment 133

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 69

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

69. Considers that the post-2027 MFF should include only two special instruments - one dedicated to ensuring solidarity in the event of natural disasters (the successor to the existing European Solidarity Reserve) and one for general-purpose crisis response (the successor to the Flexibility Instrument), outside cohesion policy; insists that both special instruments should be adequately funded from the outset and able to carry over unspent amounts indefinitely over the MFF period; believes that all other special instruments can either be wound up or subsumed into the two special instruments or into existing programmes; recalls that, when designing crisis instruments, greater attention should be paid to the specific characteristics of EU regions, and especially of outermost regions, which require measures adapted to their reality, in accordance with Article 349 TFEU;

Amendment 134

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 71 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

71a. Regrets that the allocation of EU funds is still strongly affected by politicisation; calls on the Commission to develop a direct mechanism for direct access to funds for the municipal, local and regional authorities; considers that such a mechanism should strike an appropriate balance between the transparency and reporting obligations on the one side and a reduced bureaucratic burden on the other side;

Amendment 135

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 73

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

73. Considers that the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), with its focus on performance and links between reforms and investments and budgetary support, has helped to drive national investments and reforms; draws attention, however, to the various reports that have highlighted the limitations of the RFF in respect of delivering such investments and reforms; considers that the effectiveness of the RRF could be diminished by incomplete or ineffective implementation of its milestones and targets;

Amendment 136

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 74

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

74. Underlines that the RRF can help to inform the delivery of Union spending under shared management; recalls, however, that the RRF was agreed in the very specific context of the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot, therefore, be replicated wholesale for future investment programmes;

74. Recalls that the RRF was agreed in the very specific context of the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot, therefore, be replicated wholesale for future investment programmes as it is built on a centralised approach; firmly rejects the RRF style of centralised planning or any attempts to direct regional development funding through a single national plan, as this disregards the partnership principle, place-based approaches and multilevel governance, effectively undermining subsidiarity and marginalising regional and local authorities, social partners and civil society; notes, in addition, that it effectively renders cross-border and transnational programmes such as Interreg unfeasible, thereby contributing to anti-European sentiment and frustrations already dangerously prevalent in peripheral regions;

Amendment 137

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 74 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

74a. Warns that the centralisation of investment decisions and the shift of focus to the Member States pose a serious risk of politicising cohesion policy and even completely excluding certain regions from influencing decisions in areas financed by EU funds;

Amendment 138

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 74 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

74b. Acknowledges that performance-based mechanisms can help make policies more efficient and results-oriented but cautions against imposing a one-size-fits-all model in the context of the 2028-2034 framework; is concerned, however, about the impact that a performance-based approach based on milestones and targets could have on the placed-based approach and multilevel governance of cohesion policy funds; is especially concerned about the possibility of linking the disbursement of cohesion funds to meeting centrally defined reform goals, all the more so if the reform goals do not fall within the jurisdiction of the regional level;

Amendment 139

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 75

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

75. Points out that any application of an RRF-style delivery model in the next MFF would have to correct the RRF’s fundamental flaws, by involving regional and local authorities from design to delivery through a place-based and multilevel governance approach, ensuring the cross-border dimension of investment projects, focusing on results and impact rather than outputs, guaranteeing full transparency in relation to final recipients of Union spending and safeguarding Parliament’s role as legislator, budgetary and discharge authority and in holding the executive to account;

75. Points out that a decision to apply a performance-based model to shared management funding in the next MFF should be built primarily on the performance models developed under cohesion policy, preserving its cornerstone principles, namely partnership and appropriate involvement of regional and local authorities from design to delivery through a place-based and multilevel governance approach, ensuring the cross-border dimension of investment projects, flexibility for beneficiaries, focusing on results and impact rather than outputs, guaranteeing robust public procurement and grant procedures, ensuring full transparency in relation to final recipients of Union spending and safeguarding Parliament’s role as legislator, budgetary and discharge authority and in holding the executive to account;

Amendment 140

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 75 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

75a. Calls on the Commission to adopt a flexible funding approach that combines results-based funding with traditional cost-based funding and that take into due consideration the specificities of different spending sectors and the heterogeneity of the needs of the final beneficiaries, especially in projects related to research and the social dimension; stresses, in this respect, that policies such as cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy have a fundamental role to play in reducing regional disparities and supporting rural development and ensuring food security, objectives that cannot be fully achieved through a purely performance-based approach and reforms; stresses the need to maintain the predictable and stable nature of these policies, providing Member States and beneficiaries with the security of long-term funding, without excessive conditionalities that could limit equitable access to funds;

Amendment 141

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 78

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

78. Underlines that, to date, the Union budget has been required only to repay interest related to NGEU and that, from 2028 onwards, the budget will also have to repay the capital; underscores that the total costs for NGEU capital and interest repayments are projected to be around EUR 20-30 billion a year from 2028;

78. Underlines that, to date, the Union budget has been required only to repay interest related to NGEU and that, from 2028 onwards, the budget will also have to repay the capital; recalls that in this context the annual repayment cost of the grant component of the RRF will peak at EUR 26 billion in 2028; underscores that the total costs for NGEU capital and interest repayments are projected to be around EUR 20-30 billion a year from 2028;

Amendment 142

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 86 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

86a. Calls on the Commission and the EU executive agencies to guarantee sufficient visibility and public awareness of EU regional funding; considers that it is essential for the potential beneficiaries to easily access the information on EU funding opportunities; considers necessary to increase the visibility of the completed projects co-financed by the EU so as to improve public awareness about the role of the EU in concrete regional development projects;

Amendment 143

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 88

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

88. Emphasises Parliament’s commitment to play its role fully throughout the process; believes that the design of the MFF should be bottom-up and based on the extensive involvement of stakeholders; underlines, furthermore, the need for a strategic dialogue among the three institutions in the run-up to the MFF proposals;

88. Emphasises Parliament’s commitment to play its role fully throughout the process; believes that the design of the MFF should be bottom-up and based on the extensive involvement of all relevant stakeholders fully respecting subsidiarity, the partnership principle and multilevel governance; underlines, furthermore, the need for a strategic dialogue among the three institutions in the run-up to the MFF proposals;

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The Chair in his capacity as rapporteur for the opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted

19.3.2025

Result of final vote

–:

Members present for the final vote

Pascal Arimont, Fredis Beleris, Adrian-Dragoş Benea, Gordan Bosanac, Irmhild Boßdorf, Tamás Deutsch, Klára Dobrev, Klara Dostalova, Kathleen Funchion, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Sérgio Gonçalves, Krzysztof Hetman, Elsi Katainen, Isabelle Le Callennec, Nora Mebarek, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Ciaran Mullooly, Elena Nevado del Campo, Andrey Novakov, Valentina Palmisano, Vladimir Prebilič, Sabrina Repp, André Rougé, Antonella Sberna, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Rody Tolassy, Raffaele Topo, Marta Wcisło

Substitutes present for the final vote

Dan Barna, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Matthias Ecke, Ana Miranda Paz, Denis Nesci, Jacek Protas

Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

Ştefan Muşoiu, Virgil-Daniel Popescu

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

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