European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto reported on 7 May 2026 that the mid-term review of cohesion policy has resulted in 34.6 billion euros of investments being reallocated across 186 programmes. Speaking at the 171st plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions, Fitto detailed that the largest share, 15.2 billion euros, has been redirected to competitiveness priorities such as 6G technologies and biotech, followed by 11.9 billion euros for defence-related dual-use investments, 3.3 billion euros for affordable housing, 3.1 billion euros for water management, and 1.1 billion euros for energy infrastructure. He emphasised that these are real funds already available to member states and regions, reflecting concrete decisions taken at the territorial level.
Fitto framed the mid-term review as the first step in modernising cohesion policy, noting that the current programmes were designed between 2019 and 2021 but only began implementation in 2024-2025, in a significantly changed global context. He highlighted the speed of the process: the Commission proposed the review in April 2025, the Committee of the Regions adopted a unanimous resolution in May 2025, the Council and Parliament approved it by September 2025, member states submitted amendments by December 2025, and the Commission processed them in the following months. Fitto credited the voluntary approach, flexibility measures such as higher co-financing rates and additional pre-financing, and simplification rules for enabling the rapid reallocation.
Looking ahead, Fitto outlined progress on several territorial strategies. The EU Agenda for Cities was adopted in December 2025, and a Communication on Eastern border regions followed in February 2026. Three further strategies are under development: a first-ever EU strategy for islands, a new package for outermost regions including a regulatory simplification package, and a strategy on the right to stay. Fitto announced the launch of a call for evidence for the right to stay strategy, encouraging regions and cities to participate, and described it as aiming to make regions more attractive for investment, jobs, and people, especially young people.
Fitto also addressed concerns about the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposals, reassuring that they preserve key principles of cohesion policy: shared management, multi-level governance, and partnership. He noted that a letter from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in November 2025 reinforced the role of regions via a 'regional check' and offered funding safeguards for transition and more developed regions. Fitto stressed the importance of timely agreement to ensure timely investments and reiterated his commitment to dialogue with regional and local authorities.