Cohesion policy is at a crossroads. While the mid-term review of the next EU budget was meant to give clarity to long-term funding priorities, the European Commission’s April communication on a modernised cohesion policy marks a fundamental shift in direction. 

In our latest podcast episode, we explore whether the mid-term review of the EU budget lives up to its goals. We ask the following questions: 

Are the national energy and climate plans integrated well enough? Will the challenges outlined in the Commission’s 2024 country-specific recommendations be met? Should large companies benefit from cohesion funding? What roles do affordable housing, water, and even defence have to play? And, perhaps most crucially, what does the Commission’s communication mean for democracy and public participation? 

Join our guests Florian Marin and Bogdan-Alexandru Chelariu as they discuss these pressing issues and more, offering a vital social angle on the next EU budget.