Interview with Emil Boc - Chair of the COTER commission

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Why is having a strong Cohesion Policy strategic for Europe?

Cohesion Policy is the glue that keeps the European Union together. We must ask ourselves: do we want a Europe with deep development gaps, or do we want a Europe with no region left behind? Without a strong Cohesion Policy, we would see the end of peace and democracy in Europe. It is a policy that generates concrete results on the ground: roads, school excellence centres and so much more. Cohesion Policy will keep on investing in all regions to help low-growth and low-income regions in the south and east of Europe to catch up, but also to address pockets of poverty in richer Member States. The founding principles of Cohesion Policy, such as its partnership principle and territorial approach, must be safeguarded. We need simpler and clearer rules. The 'Do no harm to cohesion' principle should apply to all EU policies so that they support the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.

What do you think the next European Commission should do to fight against inequalities in Europe?

We see that there is a growing gap between our European ambitions and the daily concerns of our citizens. And we also see that citizens expect from us local solutions for the digital and green transition that work for them. That is why supporting local solutions based on partnership and multi-level governance must be in the centre of the next strategic programme of the EU. I am not saying that this is the only solution, but if we allow any diminishing of the EU's Cohesion Policy, we might risk undermining another factor strengthening the EU's foundations and the belief in the EU project. In face of growing green discontent, in face of the consequences of the digitalisation of society, paired with dramatic demographic changes, we need to put economic, social and territorial cohesion at the top of the EU political agenda. In addition, we need to find the right means and incentives to attract private capital, for more public-private partnerships, to fulfil European ambitions and objectives, thus levering on the existing and future EU, national and local finances.

The Recovery and Resilience Facility put forward a new way of managing funds and investments. In your opinion, is it a model that can be applied to Cohesion Policy?

Let's not forget that Cohesion Policy is the only EU policy that does - in its very nature - take into account the specificities of the different territories Europe is made of. Let me be blunt: the RFF does not! The RRF is a powerful and welcomed emergency instrument to avoid that Member State's economies drift apart and it has a strong reform component. But we must not be deceived into thinking that it should one day be the only EU instrument to support place-based policies, tailor-made projects and local actions to successfully address the multi-faced challenges we are all confronted with.

If we allow any diminishing of Cohesion Policy, we might risk undermining another factor strengthening the EU's foundations and the faith in the European project. Let us also recollect that Cohesion Policy and the internal market go hand in hand as EU's success stories providing for tangible and tailor-made results on the ground.

What should be in your view the relation between Cohesion Policy and reforms?

As a mayor and COTER Chair, I do have a strong conviction: a reformed Cohesion Policy post-2027 accessible to all regions - yes to all regions, I insist on that - can play and will play a key role to deliver on a just transition that leaves no one behind. Cohesion Policy has always been a powerful driver of transformation, it is by essence a structural policy that is an enabler of reforms on the ground. Cohesion Policy has always combined reforms and investments. True reforms were not always a precondition for investments under Cohesion Policy but investments supported by Cohesion Policy have always been made to help delivery of reforms.

Background

• Emil Boc is Chair of the commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Major of Cluj-Napoca and former Prime Minister of Romania.
• Mr Boc and the President of the CoR are the co-rapporteurs of an opinion which will take stock of the 9th Cohesion Report, the conclusions of the High-Level Group on the Future of Cohesion Policy and the conclusions adopted by the Council to propose a vision for a stronger Cohesion Policy for the post-2027 period. The opinion is scheduled for adoption at the CoR plenary session in November.
• Mr Boc and President Cordeiro were previously co-rapporteurs on the opinion on the future of Cohesion Policy, adopted by unanimity at the Plenary session in November 2023.