EU Cohesion Policy 2014+

Welcoming the draft cohesion regulations, regions, cities and their representative organisations agreed that there is still a lot to do to ensure that the full impact of cohesion policy is felt on the ground.

They emphasised the importance of maintaining an adequate level of funding, a strong integrated approach to territorial development, and stressed the importance of partnerships directly involving local and regional authorities in the decision-making process.

This came in response to the publication of the legislative proposals for the future cohesion policy by the European Commission and to the current budget proposals, following a summit of European territories held on 21 October in St. Pölten - Niederösterreich (A).

Speaking for the first time ever with one voice, they adopted the “St. Pölten Manifesto”, a declaration urging the Council of the EU and the European Parliament to support regional and local interests in cohesion policy.