Alessandro Graziadei
Friday, March 29, 2024
A report, recently published by the European Commission, questions the future of cohesion policy and what changes should be made to make it more efficient in reducing the gap between rural and urban areas in the European Union.
By Maura Madeddu
Cohesion policy has always set itself the ambitious objective of promoting convergence between the different regions of the European Union, obtaining important results thanks above all to the financing of projects aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged areas or those undergoing industrial transition. However, the current cohesion policy still has room for improvement, as highlighted by a new report created by a group of experts gathered by the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira.
Specifically, the report identifies several priorities, including increasing the number of projects based on the interconnection of territories, increasing cooperation between local administrations involved in the implementation of projects financed by cohesion funds, and reducing possible market distortions generated from these interventions. Experts strongly reiterate the need to adopt systemic development processes, which no longer neglect cities, towns and rural areas that find themselves in an intermediate situation, between peaks of urbanization and others of profound backwardness.
Some observers highlight how the importance of reforming cohesion policy goes beyond the well-known budget and regional development issues. On the one hand, it must deal with the need to balance regional growth and the green and digital transition, which affects all countries of the Union. On the other hand, the obvious difficulties encountered by the EU in countering the ever-widening differences between rural areas and urbanized areas are reflected in a growing discontent among the populations living there, who increasingly turn their demands to Eurosceptic parties. ..
