The Future of EU Cohesion

This report presents the results of a research project commissioned by the German Ministry of Finance on the future of Cohesion Policy (CP) in the upcoming EU funding period 2028-2034. It reflects the collaborative efforts of a European network of researchers. Ahead of the next seven-year Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) cycle, Europe has the opportunity to rethink and reform the EU budget and CP in particular. Our insights aim to contribute to these reform reflections. The scholars involved come from different countries and disciplines, and include some of the leaders of the past academic work on CP. Drawing on the accumulated academic knowledge and employing a diverse array of approaches, the report asks the following key questions: What are the fundamental rationales of CP today and how should the future path of this policy look like in a changing environment? What do we know about the impact and performance of over 30 years of CP in light of its objectives? Which are the crucial constraining and enabling factors for a successful CP? And finally, how can CP become more performance-oriented and its evaluations more reliable?