Tütto: “Catastrophic mistake to divert funds from cohesion to defense”

Brussels – Hands off structural funds! In the need to invest more in defense, “taking funds from cohesion would be a catastrophic mistake,” warns the European Committee of the Regions (COR) president Kata Tütto. “[A] weakening of cohesion weakens Europe’s ability to keep its regions strong and resilient in the face of growing instability,” she tells Eunews, commenting on the Rearm Plan that   European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined.

“The debate should not be about redistributing existing funds, but about securing new resources to safeguard Europe’s security in all its dimensions,” the European Committee of the Regions president continues. In short, the element of Europe’s rearmament plan that closely touches regions and territories is unconvincing and worrying. The future of the regions, their growth, and the well-being of the citizens who live there are at stake.

Of course, Tütto acknowledges, “in such uncertain geopolitical times, Europe must remain united in its unwavering support for Ukraine.” This principle is not and cannot be in question. However, she clarifies, “Security is a basic human need, but it is more than just military defense.” Security, she explains. “It includes economic, social, environmental, health, institutional, and cybersecurity dimensions.” In that sense, “cohesion policy already plays a role in this broader security framework.”

Tütto emphasized that as currently designed and, more importantly, financed, EU cohesion policy “invests in critical infrastructure protection, emergency preparedness, and strengthening community resilience against crises, whether arising from war, climate change, or cyber attacks.” If resources are reduced, all of these risk being called into question.