Joint Call for Greater Regional Power

On Tuesday 29 September 2026, Catalonia participated in a joint presentation at the European Parliament alongside 142 other European regions, advocating for a stronger territorial dimension in the EU’s cohesion policy for the 2028–2034 funding period. The initiative was coordinated by the alliance EUregions4cohesion, co-led by the regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Emilia-Romagna. Agustí Fernández de Losada, Secretary for European Affairs, Multilateral Relations and Development Cooperation at the Generalitat, represented Catalonia at the event. The coalition presented a unified position calling for greater involvement of regional and local authorities in shaping, implementing, monitoring and evaluating EU-funded programmes.

The future of cohesion must reflect the realities on the ground, not just national priorities.

Demand for Subsidiarity and Direct Negotiation

The alliance welcomed recent improvements in the European Commission’s draft Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, noting that earlier proposals had underrepresented territorial diversity. However, it warned against excessive centralisation at the national level and stressed adherence to the principles of subsidiarity, partnership and multilevel governance. Key demands include:

  • A dedicated and sufficient budget for cohesion policy
  • Maintained levels of EU co-financing
  • A binding "do no harm to cohesion" principle across all EU instruments
  • Regional chapters in National and Regional Partnership Plans with guaranteed funding and input
  • Direct negotiation between regional managing authorities and the European Commission
  • No unilateral changes to regional allocations without prior agreement from both the region and the Commission

The coalition also supports a results-based management model but insists it must be paired with real simplification of administrative procedures to avoid burdening local beneficiaries.

Integration with Broader EU Goals

Regions are calling for better alignment between cohesion policy and other EU instruments, particularly in competitiveness, innovation and climate transition. They want regional innovation ecosystems to have greater access to centrally managed EU programmes. The group also urges strengthening the territorial dimension of the European Semester, ensuring that national reforms do not undermine regionally allocated funds when responsibilities lie outside regional control. The joint declaration notes with approval that the European Parliament has already incorporated several of these priorities into its official stance on the MFF, including recognition of territorial diversity and the need for robust regional participation. The EUregions4cohesion position forms part of ongoing negotiations on the MFF 2028–2034 and the future legal framework for cohesion policy, as documented in related parliamentary scrutiny files such as DSPCC 361/15 and BOPC 175/09 T.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by Departament d'Edicions del Parlament de Catalunya, parlament.cat, Parlament de Catalunya, agenceurope.eu, ju7, europe-en-nouvelle-aquitaine.eu, fundaciongaliciaeuropa.eu.