Reimagining cohesion and EU policy: An integrated approach

January 2025

In the dynamic and diverse landscape of the EU, achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion remains a key objective. Cohesion policy has long been the EU's flagship initiative to reduce disparities and promote harmonious development across regions. However, as the EU grapples with shifting priorities such as climate change, competitiveness, defence and social inclusion, it is becoming increasingly clear that cohesion cannot be the sole responsibility of a single policy (see also previous blog post (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)).

This blog post looks at one of the three scenarios explored in the recent report ‘The future of EU cohesion: Scenarios and their impacts on regional inequalities (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)’ commissioned by the European Parliament: the integrated approach. It proposes a paradigm shift in the way cohesion policy interacts with other EU policies, aiming for greater coherence, synergy and impact. It sheds light on how integrated policy-making could redefine the path to a more cohesive EU.

Scenario assumptions

The integrated approach is based on the principle of coordinating different policies to achieve common objectives, in particular the reduction of regional disparities. The main assumptions underlying this scenario are: