Addressing demographic challenges is one of the most important priorities of Hungary, which holds the EU presidency, said Minister of Territorial Development Tibor Navracsics. He added that the aging of the population affects not only the competitiveness and sustainability of the member states, but also of the entire Union.
He stated that the current council conclusions recognize that cohesion policy can be a key tool in solving these problems.
Elisa Ferreira, the EU Cohesion Commissioner, added that in recent years, cohesion policy has demonstrated its flexibility during various crises, such as the Covid-19 epidemic, the influx of refugees in Ukraine, and the rise in energy prices.
Cohesion policy plays a significant role not only in reducing existing territorial inequalities, but also in attracting new industries and companies.
said the outgoing commissioner.
The role of local and regional authorities received special attention at the meeting. Both Tibor Navracsics and Ferreira emphasized that the decision-making process should be bottom-up, in line with the principle of subsidiarity. This not only takes into account the specific needs of the affected regions, but also ensures the effective implementation of the cohesion policy. According to the participants, member states and regions should also take an active role in planning.
Looking to the future, cohesion policy will remain of high importance even after 2028, especially for less developed regions.
According to the Council’s conclusions, the policy should maintain its core principles such as partnership, multi-level governance and a place-based approach. At the same time, Member States must work together to develop measures to deal with new challenges such as the climate crisis and ageing.
To a journalist’s question, Tibor Navracsics said that Hungary is one of the most successful member states in drawing EU funds, and emphasized that cohesion funds should continue to be used to reduce territorial and social inequalities.
According to Elisa Ferreira, the long-term effectiveness of the policy can only be maintained if great attention is paid to the quality of the projects and local needs.
After the meeting, both leaders talked about how one of the biggest challenges in the coming years will be the efficient and fair distribution of the available resources.
Cover image source: EU
Source: www.portfolio.hu
