12/04/2025
A modernised cohesion policy to boost the EU's strategic priorities
the European Commission is revising the EU's cohesion policy to better support EU competitiveness and decarbonisation, defence and security, the Eastern border regions as well as affordable housing, water resilience, and the energy transition.
The objective of this initiative is to make cohesion policy more effective, by encouraging Member States and regions to invest in the European strategic priorities, while maintaining the focus of cohesion policy on reducing economic, social and territorial disparities. Member States will be invited to reprogramme part of their 2021-2027 cohesion funds to new investments in the context of the ongoing cohesion policy's mid-term review.
Strengthening Europe's competitiveness and closing the innovation gap
Given the role of businesses, regardless of their size, in steering research, innovation, knowledge and technology transfer, the Commission is proposing to extend the support of the European Regional Development Fund to large companies in critical areas, such as defence, strategic technologies, and decarbonisation. In addition, the Commission encourages Member States to increase investments in strategic technologies under the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, to boost Europe's competitiveness and innovation.
Full information: https://tinyurl.com/3npnvchv