Cohesion Policy
CEMR to heads of state: "Don't cut Cohesion Policy by around €12 billion"
The Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU has presented governments with a proposal which would institute massive cuts in cohesion spending. Based on the proposal’s figures, CEMR estimates that there would be a €12 billion cut in real terms compared with the Commission’s proposal, impacting thousands of local and regional governments in Europe.
Reacting to the Finnish proposal, the secretary general of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Frédéric Vallier, stated: “Such cuts pose a threat to local and regional governments’ ability to implement Europe’s ambitions, notably in terms of reaching the climate objectives of the Paris agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Cohesion policy is crucial for citizens to regain confidence in the European project. If accepted, these cuts would severely worsen already-growing social and territorial inequalities which are alienating many citizens.”
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