Position of the Union of Polish Metropolises Paweł Adamowicz On the Future of Cohesion Policy

Poland has been a leader in effective cohesion policy implementation, with nearly half of its funds under the 2021-2027 framework managed by regional authorities and significant progress achieved through tools like Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI). Local and regional governments possess the expertise, strategic capacity, and stakeholder networks needed to align cohesion policy with regional and urban development priorities.

Centralisation would undermine subsidiarity, reduce alignment with territorial needs, and weaken local governance, risking the loss of the valuable experience and administrative capacity built over decades. To ensure cohesion policy remains effective, the Union calls for maintaining the principles of subsidiarity, multi-level governance, and regional programme management while strengthening territorial instruments like ITI.

More in our full position paper.