2025 marks a pivotal year for shaping the future of cohesion policy and the European Structural Funds.

To advance the debate, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) commissioned two studies, one analyzing the impact of the European Regional Development Fund in Germany during the 2014-2020 programming period and one investigating improvements in the governance of cohesion policy.

The results of the studies aim to inform negotiations for the 2028-2034 funding period.

  Additionally, the German federal government and Länder released a joint statement on post-2027 European cohesion policy, creating a platform for BMWK to integrate the study findings into ongoing discussions.

The event “Cohesion Policy beyond 2027: Insights on impact and governance” on February 13, 2025, at the European Committee of the Regions (VMA21) will present the results and discuss their implications with policymakers, scientists, and practitioners.