Regional Policy

Tensions grow in France over recovery plan cohesion policy clash

Tensions are mounting in France over crossovers between the country's €100 billion plan to recover from the economic fallout of the pandemic and the European Union's cohesion policy, with regions complaining they have not been sufficiently consulted. 

Cohesion Policy Quiz: How much do you know about EU cohesion funds?

As we near the end of EURACTIV’s project “Let’s Meet Cohesion Policy” co-financed by DG REGIO, now is the time to test your knowledge on how the EU supports its regions. Test your knowledge here

Cohesive recovery: where do structural funds fit in?

Cohesion, the EU’s €330 billion investment package, making up about a third of the bloc’s new seven-year budget, will focus on bringing about a smarter, greener and more connected Europe, closer to its citizens by 2027.  That’s a tall order...

Lagging German regions may lose out due to rush of EU pandemic recovery money

Following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Berlin on Tuesday (22 June), where she delivered the approved German recovery plan, concerns are emerging that the new pot of money may crowd out funding for weak regions and thwart their efforts to catch up with wealthy areas.

Cohesion and recovery funds: Friends or foes?

  In this edition of our series on cohesion policy, we are joined by two very special guests European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira and EURACTIV’s Jorge Valero. We take a closer look at how Europe’s historic recovery...

Germany to ‘plug holes’ in budget with EU green transition money, critics say

Germany is set to dispense €40 billion to its regions affected by the country’s planned 2038 coal phase-out. But that number is a lot less grand than it looks, as the programme will swallow EU funds. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Lack of coal phase-out commitments in Eastern Europe jeopardises just transition

Unambitious coal phase-out policies in central and eastern Europe threaten the just transition in the region and the European Commission should only accept plans that use the just transition fund to develop and diversify local economies for a greener future, writes Alexandru Mustață.

Public engagement still lacking in coal regions’ transition, NGOs warn

Public consultation is inadequate in the creation of pathways to transition out of coal-burning in Central and Eastern European (CEE) regions, despite being a requirement for the plans that will unlock the €17.5 billion just transition fund, civil society has warned.

State vs private: Europe’s mismatched transition out of coal

There is a growing disparity in the progress central and eastern Europe's regions have made to transition away from coal, often influenced by how willing the state is to rescue increasingly unviable companies. Some regions are beginning to close polluting mines while others plan to keep them open for decades.

Commission must boost presence in regions to promote just coal transition

The European Commission should make sure its decisions remain in line with its climate targets and keep an eye on the social acceptance of the coal transition, stakeholders in Central and Eastern Europe say.

National politics threatens just transition fund for coal-reliant regions

Domestic politics, bureaucratic turf wars, and prosperous regions resistant to quitting coal remain a serious obstacle to meaningful progress on designing just transition plans, despite the involvement of European Commission-funded consultants, and pressing deadlines.

A just transition? The barriers to central and eastern Europe making the leap from coal

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As the EU Green Week kicks off in Brussels, EURACTIV takes a closer look at an essential step towards a net zero emission Europe – the transition away from coal. Armed with the new €17.5 billion-strong Just Transition Fund, the...

Cohesion policy: Uphill battle to halt growing regional and social inequalities

The COVID-19 crisis has increased social inequalities across Europe, from access to education, to work, medical treatment, and housing. The widening gap goes hand in hand with regional disparities, and this dangerous downward spiral is something the EU's cohesion policy aims to put a stop to. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Investing in sparsely populated regions

Investments into remote and sparsely populated regions are an often overlooked area of EU support. EURACTIV travelled to Ličko-Senjska county in central Croatia, a two-hour drive from the capital Zagreb, to explore how EU-funded projects are contributing to improving the...

Regions warn of bottleneck risks, double spending with EU recovery funds

Implementing the EU's €750 billion recovery plan in addition to regular regional spending at European level is likely to prove a challenge, the bloc's politicians admitted at an informal meeting of EU cohesion ministers in Lisbon on Tuesday (18 May).

EU’s outermost regions could be ‘immunological labs’, Portugal says

The far-away European Union territories could become "immunological laboratories" by accelerating and achieving full vaccination of the population there, Portugal's Secretary of State for European Affairs, Ana Paula Zacarias said on Tuesday (18 May).

EU’s Comittee of Regions calls for local participation in Future of Europe summit

The Conference on the Future of Europe launched Sunday (9 May) in Strasbourg can only succeed if local and regional communities are involved, the European Committee of the Regions has argued. EURACTIV France reports.

Transition of cities – an opportunity for people and planet

Mayors and city leaders can play a double role in the green transition – as ambassadors for the European green deal locally, and as representatives of people’s concerns and interests to other levels of government, writes Dario Nardella

Regional fund spending slow despite Commission claims

EU countries have been much slower to spend structural funds aimed at reducing regional and social inequalities than in the previous seven-year budgetary period, figures from the European Commission show. Member states had by the end of last year spent...

How innovative EU-funded projects prepared us for lockdown challenges

Often described as cumbersome and hard to access, European regional funds, which are designed to decrease disparities between Europe’s regions, are actually at the forefront of funding innovative projects, often able to financially support ideas from which the traditional markets...

Political commitment to gender equality needed in cohesion policy, say EU lawmakers

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities around the world, and in the EU, it has disproportionately impacted women. The European Parliament's Regional Development (REGI) committee sees cohesion policy as key to gender equality. EURACTIV Germany reports.

From Brussels with love: the secret to spending the recovery fund

The post-COVID recovery funds need to be spent quickly by member states already struggling with absorption rates. President Ursula von der Leyen and Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans need to promote the help available, writes Brook Riley.

REACT-EU to fund Czech healthcare instead of dressing rooms after criticism

After criticism from regional leaders, the Czech government overturned its decision to support local sports clubs with money from the REACT-EU emergency instrument. Instead, a large majority of the funds will go to the healthcare system, EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.