Romania secures backing from six EU member states for cohesion clause in competitiveness fund

Romania has garnered support from six EU member states for the introduction of a cohesion clause in the European Competitiveness Fund. This initiative, led by Ovidiu Cîmpean, aims to ensure that Romanian businesses, universities, and research centers can access European funding dedicated to innovation and industrial development.

The supportive member states include Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Greece, and Hungary. Cîmpean, who is the vice president of the European Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, is also the rapporteur for the future multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034. He emphasized the importance of balancing competitiveness and cohesion, stating, 'It would be absurd to create gaps with European money, only to fix them with other European money.'

Diana Stoica, president of the European Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, and Lucian Rusu, president of the corresponding committee in the Senate, also support this initiative. Together, they have proposed measures to prevent excessive concentration of funding in states and regions with developed industrial capacities, arguing that the potential of the entire Union must be harnessed.

The European Commission has proposed a budget of approximately €1.985 trillion for the period 2028-2034, which would represent about 1.26% of the EU's gross national income. The funds would support regional development, agriculture, infrastructure, research, the green transition, and European security. The European Competitiveness Fund and the Horizon Europe program are expected to benefit from around €409.3 billion, covering projects from research to production and market introduction.

The letter advocating for the cohesion clause outlines four proposed measures for a more balanced distribution of European funding. These measures include introducing territorial indicators to prevent concentration of funds, expanding participation of states with a GDP per capita below the European average, providing technical assistance to smaller enterprises for project preparation, and ensuring transparent annual reports are presented to the European Parliament.

The drafting of this letter was the result of coordinated diplomatic efforts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has been sent to key leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and Micheal Martin, the Irish Prime Minister. The initiative was presented by Cîmpean during the COSAC meeting held in July in Dublin, where the heads of European affairs committees from member states convened.

This initiative aligns with Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union and Articles 174 and 175 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The letter has been signed by parliamentarians from the supporting countries, including notable figures such as Agnieszka Pomaska, Galin Durev, and Dimitrios Kairidis, who hold positions in their national committees for European affairs or related committees. The introduction of the cohesion clause will be supported in the negotiations for the future multiannual budget of the European Union.