Fontana writes to President von der Leyen on Cohesion Policy and the role of regions

Brussels – The Governor of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, has sent a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with some of his considerations regarding the role of regions and local actors in the future cohesion policy “post 2027.”

Fontana called for more flexibility, structural reforms and relevance to the work programs of the Commission and European Council for the upcoming 2028-2035 programming, recalling the importance of the territorial approach. The governor called for consideration of the problems of disadvantaged regions without going to the detriment of more developed regions, which are more involved in the digital and green transition phase. The subsidiarity of cohesion policy management must be maintained and developed, ensuring consistency between the EU’s objectives and the specific characteristics of the territories.

In conclusion, Fontana believes increasing spending on cohesion policy is necessary, focusing more on achieving results than on spending and timing “while maintaining a framework of greater simplification, stability, and regulatory certainty.”