Sofia Elanidou
REGI chair: If von der Leyen has an ambition for Europe, she must have an ambition for Cohesion
The European Parliament shall not accept cuts on the budget of Cohesion Policy and expects the European Commission and its new President to be on its side, says MEP Younous Omarjee.
Regions call for ambitious EU budget, Cohesion policy, better cooperation
The Conference of Peripheral Maritime regions (CPMR) was set to adopt a Manifesto on the future of the EU negotiations on Friday (18 October) calling for more support to Europe's regions, an ambitious budge supporting a sustainable economic agenda and no cuts in the Cohesion policy.
How smart can Greek agriculture be?
What does digitization of rural economy mean? How smart can agriculture be in Greece today and how ready is the Greek farmer against such a prospect?
Greece and North Macedonia agree to end roaming charges
Athens and Skopje have signed an agreement to gradually decrease roaming charges and remove them completely by 2021.
Greek MEPs demand action on overpopulated migrant centres
Overpopulation of migrant reception centres on the island of Samos has reached the point of no return, with the local community and local authorities left overwhelmed and demanding assistance from the Greek government.
Low returns and rural areas’ restrictions keep young Greek farmers away
Low profitability and poor infrastructure quality make farming in Greece unattractive to young people, who are needed more than ever before to take the agricultural sector a step forward, stakeholders have told EURACTIV Greece.
Juncker Plan’s results may be overstated, auditors say
The amount of investment mobilised by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) may have been overestimated, a new report by the European Court of Auditors has warned. It added that it may have also favoured larger member states.
Study: Cohesion’s impact on local audiences still remains limited
Social outcomes in Cohesion policy remain relatively obscure for the general public compared to economic developments, a recent project study has found. In addition to that, the process of reaching local audiences remains a challenge for policymakers and organisations across the European regions.
Auditors’ anti-fraud policy recommendations are old news, Oettinger says
There is nothing new in the anti-fraud policy recommendations that the European Court of Auditors tabled on Thursday (10 January), the EU Commissioner for Budget Günther H. Oettinger has said.
Regions remain puzzled on future Cohesion and Brexit implications
There is no room for double standards in the future Cohesion policy but there is a need for cooperation between funds and programmes, key partners and civil society, the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy told a Committee of the Regions (CoR) plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday (December 5).
Urban and rural disparities still a thorn in Europe’s regional development
Continuous depopulation of the EU's rural regions and interregional disparities remain a serious threat for the economic and demographic base of the EU regions in the future, stakeholders highlighted during a conference on territorial divergencies in the EU held in Brussels on Tuesday (27 November).
CPMR chief: Effective solutions to daily challenges are key to get closer to citizens
Only weeks before a European Council meeting in December is to define funding for regional development across Europe beyond 2020, regions are still in the dark about what will be the final decision on the future of Cohesion Policy.
Regions call for inclusive budget after 2020, maritime co-operations at stake
Europe's regions are in urgent need of concrete measures to boost their local economy and their European dimension, stakeholders highlighted during the General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) in Madeira, Portugal on Thursday (October 18).
Cohesion Policy must work on a people-based approach, stakeholders say
Cohesion Policy is one the most important but still insufficiently known tools for EU integration, stakeholders highlighted during a EURACTIV forum in Brussels on Wednesday (10 October), where they called for a better communication to counter Euroscepticism.
EU citizens need a Europe that’s closer to them, says former US ambassador
EU citizens want more Europe, but they want a Europe that works, a former US ambassador to the EU told the closing ceremony of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2018 in Brussels on Thursday (October 11). Europe’s comparative...
Portugal dominates RegioStars Awards with innovation, culture projects
Portugal was the big winner of the RegioStars awards 2018 in Brussels, a project promoting regional innovation, cohesion and culture in the EU, with two awards for its innovation in sustainable industrial technologies and the promotion of cultural heritage.
Palmieri: Final agreement on Cohesion is necessary before European elections
With the European Week of Regions and Cities starting on 8 September, the debate on Cohesion Policy and its future in the EU's long-term budget 2020 is at the forefront. The European Economic and Social Committee will play a determining role in the debate and the final agreement on the proposal.
Better regional cooperation for higher EU absorption rate: the Bulgaria-Romania case
When it comes to European structural funds, one of the main concerns is the capacity of the member states to attract them. Cooperation between public authorities has proven to be a driving factor.
EU cross-border cooperation: working on both sides of the river
Ahead of the European Week of Regions and Cities, the debate on Cohesion policy continues to spark tension inside the Brussels bubble as well as among stakeholders and networks of regions and cities across Europe.
From Calarasi to Vidin: common borders, common solutions
From Calarasi to Ruse, from Costanza to Veliko Tarnovo, EU Cohesion Policy has supported hundreds of actions and infrastructure investment in the fields of transport, science, education, youth employment, environment and support for small and medium-sized enterprises in Romania and Bulgaria.
Cohesion funds absorption should not become an end in itself, EU Auditors say
Delays in the formulation of legal frameworks and spending plans create severe obstacles to an effective use of Cohesion funding, shifting the focus on quick use of money rather than on performance and results, a new Court of Auditors report published Thursday (13 September) underlined.
Cohesion – the big ‘absent’ from Juncker’s SOTEU speech
European regions and cities were left wondering about the noticeable absence of Cohesion policy in Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union speech in the European Parliament on Wednesday (12 September). They were particularly irked by his failure to highlight the positive role of regions in handling migration.
Cohesion file must be closed before 2019 elections, stakeholders say
Prolonging the Cohesion debate and postponing the final agreement will have a negative impact on the policy’s essence and content, but will also further affect the European idea, participants underlined during a hearing at the European Economic and Social Committee on Thursday (6 September).