Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz poses for a photo on the stairs, accompanied by other participants of the V4+7 meeting. The Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform Elisa Ferreira is second from the left in the bottom row. 

The discussion on the future of the European Union's cohesion policy beyond 2027 was the theme of the informal meeting in the V4+7 format, i.e. with the participation of the ministers of the Visegrad Group countries and the governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia.

Achieving cohesion among the regions and Member States is crucial for the success of the entire process of European integration. Cohesion is the cornerstone of this process. Democratic, fair, competitive and resilient Europe cannot be build without it,

said Minister for Development Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, presenting the Polish position in the debate on the future of cohesion policy beyond 2027.

The Minister stressed that EU funds must be used today more than ever for bold reforms that bolster democracy, security and strength of a united Europe.

Cohesion policy should not only be perceived as a source of funding, but also as a coordination mechanism for the various values and internal policies of the Member States, which would support the competitiveness of the entire EU and strengthen the resilience of its territories. Cohesion policy must respond to challenges such as climate change, demographic decline and the impact of globalisation,

said Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.

The meeting of the V4+7 ministers was also attended by the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, Elisa Ferreira, and guests invited by the Czech authorities, including the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, Kyriacos Kakouris.

Joint Declaration on EU Cohesion Policy

The adopted Joint Declaration on Cohesion Policy is an initiative of Czechia, which holds the annual presidency of the V4 until July 2024. Czechia invited 11 Member States to sign the declaration: the Visegrad Group countries, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and the Baltic States.

The declaration consists of six parts. They include the objectives of cohesion policy, including, but not limited to:

• the role of cohesion in the development of the EU (cohesion has been referred to as the “catalyst of European integration”, which strengthens the competitiveness of the single market and creates a level playing field for all EU countries);
•  the main aspects of cohesion policy beyond 2027 (it should remain the EU's main investment policy; shared management and partnership as the cornerstone of cohesion policy);
• the scope of cohesion policy after 2027 (supporting investment and structural reforms in accordance with Member States' priorities, in order to promote sustainable development; thematic concentration and earmarking should be made more flexible in order to make cohesion policy more adapted to the needs of individual territories and their citizens; cohesion policy is a policy for all regions, supporting their resilience and reducing the risk of falling into a “development trap”; special attention should be paid to less developed regions and their needs); 
• the financial aspects of cohesion policy after 2027 (preserving the current concept of categories of regions, with GDP per capita as the main allocation criterion); 
• the implementation of cohesion policy (introduction of simple, flexible, transparent and predictable rules and legal frameworks to facilitate and accelerate programming and implementation; place-based approach); 
• the impact of enlargement on cohesion policy after 2027 (support for the enlargement process).

Talks between Minister Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and the Slovenian and Slovak ministers
During her stay in the capital of Czechia, Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz also met with Slovenian Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksandar Jevšek and Slovakian Minister for Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation Richard Raši. Topics of discussion included the future of cohesion policy and Poland's six-month presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins on 1 January 2025.