Friends of cohesion: The EU budget must not undermine the CAP and cohesion policy

Brussels – The European Union’s future budget for the period 2028–2034 must enable the Union to tackle new strategic challenges without undermining the policies set out in the Treaties, starting with Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy. This is the view of the so-called “Friends of Cohesion”, who held a meeting today ahead of the European Council in Brussels, organised by Italy and Romania and chaired by the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The meeting was attended by the heads of state or government of 17 EU countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, and Hungary. The aim set out by the organisers—Meloni and the Romanian President Nicusor Dan—was to strengthen political coordination on the European Union’s next Multiannual Financial Framework, at a stage considered “crucial” in the negotiations that will define the strategic priorities and structure of the future European budget.

In a press release, Palazzo Chigi (the seat of the Italian Government)

explained that, during the meeting, the leaders reaffirmed “the strong consensus that has characterised the joint work launched in December 2025 and culminating in the declaration presented to the General Affairs Council on 26 May” last year, when sixteen of them (excluding Cyprus due to its role as holder of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU) submitted a joint declaration opposing the European Commission’s proposal for the MFF, which provides for cuts to funding for policies supporting regional development and agriculture.

Today, “the shared conviction was reaffirmed that the Union’s future budget must enable us to tackle new strategic challenges without undermining the policies set out in the Treaties, starting with cohesion policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy,” Palazzo Chigi emphasised. “The participants underlined that these policies represent essential investments for the future of Europe, capable of strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion, food security, competitiveness, and the resilience of European communities,” it added. Finally, the leaders of the 17 countries confirmed “their shared determination to maintain a united front in the negotiations and to continue coordinated action at the political level as well, ensuring continuity, visibility, and effectiveness in the group’s work throughout all stages of the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.”

This confirms expectations of a complex debate tomorrow amongst the 27 Member States, as well as the search for a balance by the end of the year, with the two “factions” currently pitting the 17 “Friends of Cohesion” countries against the six “Frugal” nations.

English version by the Translation Service of Withub

Meeting of the “Friends of Cohesion” ahead of the EU summit: the budget must not penalise agriculture and cohesion

Organised by Italy and Romania and chaired by the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, the meeting was attended by 17 countries in total. Determined to maintain a united front in the negotiations and to continue coordinated action at the political level as well

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