Dispute in the EU over the future of funding: Will the agricultural and cohesion funds merge?

Members of the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development (REGI) and the Committee on Territorial Cohesion and EU Budget (COTER) expressed serious concerns about the European Commission's proposal to merge the future cohesion and agriculture funds. During a joint meeting, representatives of the two institutions warned that such a merger could lead to centralization of management and conflict of interest between farmers and regions, as well as between local and national authorities. "Regions and cities cannot be treated as a bargaining chip. We support a strong cohesion policy, but we also insist that the Common Agricultural Policy and cohesion be treated with equal importance and under equal rules," said Vasco Cordeiro, chair of the COTER committee. REGI Chair Dragoş Benea (Romania, S&D) added that the proposed national and regional partnership plans (NRPPs) would fundamentally change the way cohesion funds are managed. "The concern is that merging the funds will lead ...