Regions Against Centralization: EU Demands Continued Support for All 0 12

The European Committee of the Regions, during a session in Brussels, called for not cutting funding for cohesion policy and for maintaining support for all regions, not just the less developed ones. Participants also emphasized that no EU policy should undermine territorial cohesion.

Regional leaders opposed the idea of merging different areas—from agriculture to fisheries—into one large fund managed through national plans. In their view, this could increase centralization and reduce the role of cities and regions.

They insist on mandatory consultations with local authorities when preparing such plans. If this does not happen, regions should have the ability to challenge documents through the subsidiarity mechanism.

It is also proposed that at least 20% of funds be directed towards the development of specific territories—through local programs and initiatives.

This concerns the future EU budget for 2028–2034, which is currently under discussion and could change the distribution of funding between countries and regions.