Local and regional leaders warn that Europe will never reach its goals over the years 2021-27 without increasing resources to 1.3% of the EU27's gross national income (GNI), a position shared by the European Parliament. They oppose cuts to the EU’s cohesion policy and agriculture, and urge Member States and EU institutions to make new means available for cities and regions to invest in jobs, climate action and integration.
On 9 October the European Committee of the Regions – the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives – adopted its position on the European Commission proposals for the next EU long term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) which set expenditure ceilings for all EU policies for 2021-2027.
In the opinion drafted by Nikola Dobroslavić, Prefect of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, regions' and cities' representatives welcome the results-focused approach of the new MFF and call for its timely adoption before the 2019 European elections in order to launch the new programmes without delay at the beginning of 2021. The Committee regrets that the Commission proposal seeks to transfer funding from programmes shared in partnership between EU, national and regional actors (shared management), towards programmes and initiatives managed directly by the Commission. "This transfer risks to promote a top-down Europe, deaf to the actual expectations of citizens, far away from the daily life of local communities", said the rapporteur. Alongside the MFF opinion, CoR members are examining the legislative proposals for each specific fund and have delivered their first change requests