Metropolitan areas WG Karlsruhe 14 March 2019 Update on Cohesion policy What has happened since December 2018?

Cohesion policy update Opinion on draft common provision regulation agreed in Parliament (February) Increased budget by 14.4% to EUR 378 bio Co-financing rates raised to current levels Paris Agreement, SDGs and integration policies in cities added Stronger partnerships: “fully fledged and effective” for both PAs and each OP, including local authorities PAs prepared on the basis of code of conduct on partnership Increased allocation for the European Urban Initiative: EUR 560 million Integrated territorial development: Investments programmed under PO5 (Europe closer to the citizen): also ESF+ and cohesion fund Stronger social dimension Poverty, inequality explicitly added as priority challenges European Pillar of Social Rights considered in OPs

Cohesion policy update Opinion on ERDF regulation voted in Parliament (February – REGI committee) Main elements Increased earmarking for sustainable urban development to 10% Reinforced focus on functional urban areas Small scale multi-modal mobility in PO2 (greener, low carbon EU) European Urban Initiative: Active involvement of local authorities in implementation Capacity building including exchanges between regional and local level Innovative projects on urban-rural links also funded via EAFRD Next Plenary vote 26 March (tbc) Webinar for members to inform about main changes (date tbc)

Cohesion policy update What is ahead? Council – EP – COM negotiations (trilogues) suspended Brexit? EP elections May – new rapporteurs? Trilogues continues Council agreement 25 June (CPR) MFF agreement Oct 2019 Agreement on new cohesion policy framework…