The Recovery and Resilience Facility and cohesion policy: towards cohesion policy 2.0

Background:

At the request of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the EESC offers an insightful perspective on the future of Cohesion Policy in an exploratory opinion. With the backdrop of evolving challenges such as the pandemic crisis, climate change, and digital transformation, the Committee's work highlights key recommendations to shape a "Cohesion Policy 2.0" that is more adaptable, socially focused, and responsive to the needs of European citizens and regions.

Key points:

In the opinion, the EESC

• stresses that the fundamental principle of cohesion policy, according to which "no one should be left behind", remains sound and valid, and that civil society partners are ready to continue working towards it by means of a solid EU investment policy. The principle of the policy should be maintained, despite its imperfections;
• wishes to stress that inequality of opportunity can have a detrimental effect on long-term growth and competitiveness at regional, national and EU level. Cohesion policy therefore needs to be more diversified and flexible in order to be able to pay more attention to people;
• is of the opinion to continue protecting SMEs and their sustainability and at the same time to find ways of financing the large companies which is an important factor for convergence, especially as regards strategic technologies through the new STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform);

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Additional information:

- EESC section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)
- opinion type: Exploratory Opinion
- rapporteur: Maria del Carmen BARRERA CHAMORRO (Workers - GR II / Spain)
- co-rapporteur: David SVENTEK (Employers - GR I/Czech Republic)
- reference: ECO/621-EESC-2023
- referral: N/A
- date of adoption by section: 8/09/2023
- date of adoption in plenary: 20-21/09/2023

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