#ZEWlive – Regional Convergence and Strategic Spending: The Future of EU Funds

Cohesion Policy is an important building block of European solidarity. As the EU is currently resetting its priorities, cohesion is at a crossroads: Boosting Europe’s competitiveness and defence capacity is at the heart of the EU’s response to changing geopolitical realities. Cohesion Policy – designed to promote the economic, social and territorial convergence of European regions – is thus confronted with new fiscal constraints.

How will Cohesion Policy adapt? What are the trade-offs between ambitious Union-wide goals and the traditional mission of reducing regional disparities? How should Cohesion Policy be adjusted in the post-2027 programming period? And: What do we know about cohesion after all – what works, what doesn’t, what is at stake?

Our webinar explores the future of European Cohesion Policy with speakers benefiting from their own in-depth research to inform the emerging reform debate. Alejandro Blanco Fernandez (European Court of Auditors) will present key findings from ECA’s recent report on Cohesion Policy. Eulalia Rubio (Jacques Delors Institute, CEPS) will place the discussion in the broader context of how to reform EU finances. The webinar will be moderated by Zareh Asatryan (ZEW Mannheim).

The audience will be able to ask questions via the chat.