Overview

• 149 regions from 20 countries sent a letter to President Ursula von der Leyen opposing the shift of cohesion fund management to the national level.
• Representatives of 132 regions met with EU Vice-President Raffaele Fitto in Brussels to warn that centralization through national investment and reform plans could undermine local development priorities.
• Fourteen member states, including Spain, have formally demanded a differentiated and solid budget allocation methodology grounded in regional needs.
• Regional leaders emphasize that local authorities must remain involved in defining, negotiating and implementing cohesion policies to address specific territorial disparities.
• The European Commission will unveil its formal draft of the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework in mid-July, setting the stage for critical negotiations over cohesion fund governance.