Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, on behalf of the European Commission, has outlined how the 'build back better' principle will be integrated into post-disaster reconstruction and future cohesion policy, in a written answer on 22 June 2026 to a parliamentary question by Vicent Marzà Ibáñez (Verts/ALE). The answer signals that the Commission is relying on existing climate-proofing requirements and upcoming 2028-2034 regulations to ensure that EU funds do not merely restore pre-disaster infrastructure but improve resilience, while leaving concrete monitoring indicators and local involvement mechanisms largely to member state authorities.
The question, submitted on 6 May 2026, highlighted gaps in the RESTORE mechanism's application after the October 2024 DANA (isolated high-altitude depression) that devastated Valencia. A European Parliament study (PE 776.001) had found that the 'build back better' principle was only limitedly integrated, citing a lack of risk-based selection criteria, outdated territorial assessment tools, insufficient monitoring, and low community involvement.
In his answer, Fitto pointed to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes for Spain and the Valencia Region as the main vehicles for reconstruction under RESTORE. He stated that national authorities should prioritise operations based on 'build back better' and that infrastructure investments are subject to rigorous climate proofing assessments to guarantee long-term resilience. However, the answer did not specify which climate resilience and risk reduction indicators the Commission would require from beneficiary states in their monitoring systems, leaving the first question largely unanswered with a reference to existing rules.
For the 2028-2034 period, Fitto referred to the Commission's proposal for a new European Fund for economic, social and territorial cohesion (COM(2025) 565 final), which would operationalise support for greener and more resilient communities through National and Regional Partnership Plans and an EU Facility. These plans, he said, should be based on integrated territorial planning and include obligations to align investments with sustainable development, climate adaptation and disaster resilience. This indicates that the 'build back better' principle will be embedded in the next generation of cohesion regulations, though the answer remains at the level of general commitments rather than specific operational measures.
On local involvement, Fitto cited Article 8 of the Common Provisions Regulation (2021/1060), which requires member states to involve key partners, including local authorities, in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of cohesion programmes. He added that under the ERDF national programme, local authorities design and implement integrated urban development strategies with the assistance of the managing authority. The answer did not announce new measures to improve local institutional capacity in the Valencian Community specifically, instead pointing to existing technical assistance provisions.
The policy orientation of the answer is one of continuity and incremental adaptation: the Commission is not proposing new binding indicators or dedicated instruments for the Valencian Community but is relying on the upcoming 2028-2034 regulatory framework to mainstream resilience. Institutional follow-up will depend on the legislative process for the new cohesion fund, with the Commission expected to present more detailed operational rules once the regulation is adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. For now, the answer provides reassurance on principles but leaves the specific gaps identified by the Parliament study unaddressed in concrete terms.