Commissioner Elisa Ferreira initiated the setting up of a High-Level Group on the Future of Cohesion Policy composed by representatives of academia, national, regional and local policitians, socio-economic partners and civil society. Throughout 2023 the Group reflected on how to develop and reform Cohesion Policy and on 20 February 2024 published its conclusions and recommendations in its final report ” Forging a sustainable future together: cohesion for a competitive and inclusive Europe”.
Chapter 3.2.4. of the Report: ” A policy without borders” calls for the intensification of cross-border integration and cooperation. The reformed Cohesion Policy should focus on increasing the budget and enhancing coordination and concentration including use of macro-regional strategies or interregional cooperation to transfer good practices. It is rewarding to see that the macro-regional strategies are positively seen by the Report.
Against this backdrop it should be noted that the Commission will publish its 9th Report on economic, social and territorial cohesion soon and the reflection on the future of Cohesion Policy will continue at the Cohesion Forum to be held in Brussels on 11-12 April 2024.
The Report of the High-Level Group is available here.
