CoR - EU local leaders: improving, not replacing, €637bn cohesion policy paramount for a better future for Europe

CoR - EU local leaders: improving, not replacing, €637bn cohesion policy paramount for a better future for Europe:

Hundreds of local and regional leaders gathered in Brussels on 10 October alongside top EU's leaders to kick off the 14 th European Week of Regions and Cities (EUWRC). Under the title "Regions and cities for sustainable and inclusive growth" and co-organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission, the largest event on regional development once again gathered over thousands of people taking part in 130 workshops and over 150 local events across Europe. During the high-level debate, members of the CoR – the EU's political assembly of local and regional leaders - highlighted that greater political leadership, simpler EU rules and more flexibility was urgently needed to plug the €59bn investment gap compared to 2008 levels, tackle regional disparities and create a more cohesive and innovative Europe. The debate focused on how to improve spending of the €454bn structural funds (ESIF) which is matched by €183bn from national resources between 2014-2020. (...)