Building on the progress achieved thanks to European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira, PES ministers in charge of cohesion emphasised the need for a progressive view on Cohesion Policy for the end of the current budgetary period and post-2027. This was the message as socialist and social democratic ministers met this morning, a few months ahead of the upcoming European Parliament elections.
Mariana Vieira da Silva, Portuguese Minister of the Presidency, chairing the PES Cohesion Ministerial, said:
“The outcome of the European elections will profoundly impact the future of the European Union and the future of Cohesion Policy.
We are called upon to intensify our common work to preserve and modernise the key aspects of Cohesion Policy, to support a fair green transition, innovation, growth, and jobs, and to address demographic change. It is crucial to support all citizens and all European regions. We must ensure quality of life as well as access to quality public services and infrastructure wherever citizens live.”
As work begins to assess and map out the future of Cohesion Policy post-2027, European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira joined the PES ministerial meeting for a strategic discussion on progressive priorities for the policy area.
Ministers also stressed that Cohesion Policy is a key pillar of the EU that can be used to consolidate European strategic autonomy. They underlined that respective measures need to be linked to social and environmental conditionality and must not be left to market forces only.
The meeting was attended by:
- Mariana Vieira da Silva, Minister of the Presidency, Portugal, Chair
- Chris Bonett, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds, Malta
- Teodora Preoteasa, Secretary of State, Romania
- Aleksander Jevšek, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development, Slovenia
- Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
- Christophe Rouillon, President of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions
