08/03/2021

Public consultation on Reducing disparities in the EU – 8th report on economic, social and territorial cohesion

The EU Commission shall submit every three years a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, on the progress towards achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU. The next report is to be adopted in 2021 and shall cover:

1. A record of progress made towards achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion, including the socio-economic situation of regions as well as the integration of EU priorities;
2. A record of the role of the funds, the European Investment Bank funding as well as the effect of other EU and national policies, on the progress made;
3. Where appropriate an indication of future EU measures and policies necessary to strengthen cohesion, as well as to deliver EU priorities.
In addition, this 8th report will include a short description of the initial regional impact of COVID-19 as well providing the baseline against which the next cohesion report can assess this impact more comprehensively

INSULEUR took an active role in this public consultation by submitting a position paper highlighting the importance of EU islands and the need for a targeted and flexible approach towards insularity which is constantly and again currently missing in Cohesion Policy and therefore Cohesion Reports which will be taken into account for further development and fine tuning of the initiative. The Commission will then summarize the input received in a synopsis report explaining how the input will be taken on board and, if applicable, why certain suggestions can't be taken up.

The results of the consultation will inform the Impact Assessment, accompanying the Commission proposal for revising the EU geographical indications scheme. To be noted, the Commission has published on 30 November 2020 a Roadmap on the EU-wide protection of geographical indications for non-agricultural products.

The feedback period was open until 08 March 2021 (midnight Brussels time)