EU regions must be ‘strategic partners’ in budget talks, says Cyprus

Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Thursday said that regions must be treated as strategic partners with a voice in the new Multiannual Financial Framework, following a meeting in Nicosia with Filip Reinhag, President of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, ahead of the organisation’s gathering in the capital.

“The future of Europe lies not only in capital cities and institutions, but also within the regions. Therefore, the voice of the regions is essential for European cohesion, for our competitiveness, for the future of Europe,” Ioannou said.

“Regions should be considered as strategic partners and have a voice in the new MFF,” he added.

Reinhag said that the very high ambitions of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU “align very well with the priorities of the CPMR in getting the regions more to the centre of the policy debate”.

“Everyone lives in a region, and we know firsthand that it’s the regions that can also deliver prosperity, security and connectivity to its citizens,” Reinhag said.

The CPMR meeting in Nicosia focused on connectivity, competitiveness and the resilience of the European transport network, while also examining how the next MFF can deliver more for regions and discussing strategies for island and coastal communities.

Addressing the CPMR’s political bureau meeting, Ioannou said that the European Union is entering a decisive phase of reflection and negotiation on its future priorities and financial architecture, particularly the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

“The discussions ahead will shape the Union’s capacity to deliver on competitiveness, climate neutrality, digital transformation, security and social cohesion,” Ioannou said.

In this context, he stressed that regions must be recognised as strategic partners.

“Policies developed without a territorial lens risk deepening disparities rather than reducing them, while investments that overlook regional specificities may fall short of their intended impact,” he said.

Ioannou pointed out that peripheral and maritime regions are often laboratories of innovation and resilience.

“They are at the forefront of managing climate adaptation in coastal zones, sustainable maritime transport, offshore renewable energy and circular economy practices,” he stated.

“They are also on the front line of migration management and border protection in several parts of Europe,” he added.

He underlined that a strong, well-funded and territorially sensitive cohesion policy remains essential.

Ioannou said that the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU comes at a time when reinforcing this message is both timely and necessary.

“Cyprus is committed to working constructively with all member regions to strengthen CPMR’s voice in the European debate,” he said.

“Our aim is to contribute to a forward-looking agenda that safeguards adequate and predictable funding for regions in the next financial framework, reinforces multilevel governance and meaningful regional involvement in national reform and investment plans, promotes sustainable blue growth and climate resilience in maritime territories, enhances connectivity for peripheral regions and ensures that the green and digital transitions are fair and inclusive,” Ioannou added.

Furthermore, he stressed that “for Cyprus these challenges are tangible rather than theoretical“.

“We experience first-hand the challenges of insularity, remoteness and limited connectivity. Transport and energy interconnections, exposure to climate impacts, migration pressures at the EU’s external border, and the need to diversify and modernise our economy are daily realities,” he said.

“The Cyprus Presidency is committed to acting as an honest broker and bridge between European ambition and local reality,” Ioannou continued. “We believe in a Europe that listens more closely to its regions, respects their diversity, and builds on their collective strength.”

He added that Europe needs policies shaped from the ground up, with the active involvement of those who best understand local and regional realities.

“This approach lies at the heart of CPMR’s work,” he said.

Ioannou stated that “the Cyprus Presidency is guided by a clear vision to promote a more autonomous, resilient, competitive and outward-looking European Union, as well as a union closer to its people and grounded in its fundamental values”.

He explained that strengthening social and territorial cohesion, promoting sustainable and balanced development, advancing the green and digital transition and deepening democratic participation and values are strategic priorities of the Cyprus Presidency, closely aligned with the CPMR’s long-standing mission.

He added that Cyprus places particular emphasis on the sustainable development and resilience of islands and coastal communities, especially in view of forthcoming strategies announced by the European Commission.

Reinhag said that many of the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency align with those of the CPMR.

He described the CPMR’s vision as “a European Union that leaves no one behind“, stressing that empowering citizens and fostering thriving environments in which they can live, work and prosper is at the heart of its actions.

“A truly autonomous Europe can only be built on strong social and territorial cohesion, where no region and no citizen is left behind,” Reinhag added.

“As President of the CPMR, I see it as our collective responsibility to ensure that this principle is translated into concrete political and financial decisions at the European level,” he said.

Referring to the discussions in Nicosia, Reinhag said that they focused on three key issues for regions, beginning with EU transport policy.

“Military mobility has made transport an even greater strategic priority for Europe. However, connectivity is also essential for our regions. Cohesion and accessibility must not be sidelined by other priorities but must advance hand in hand with them,” he said.

He added that in the upcoming discussions on the next CEF and military mobility instruments, CPMR’s message is that security and dual-use investments must strengthen civilian connectivity and territorial cohesion rather than weaken them.

Turning to the future of cohesion policy in the new European budget, Reinhag said that negotiations are at a pivotal stage.

“Negotiations are at a pivotal stage, and our reflections and proposals over the past two years give us a real opportunity to defend a stronger territorial vision in the next MFF,” he said.

“Our goal is to ensure that we are heard by the institution, to prevent any dilution of cohesion policy, and to secure a strong place-based approach in the next MFF,” Reinhag added.

He stressed that CPMR will not accept a future budget that weakens regional capacity to invest, innovate and deliver for citizens.

What is more, he said that the meeting also focused on two new strategies, the EU strategy for coastal communities and the EU strategy for islands, both of which he described as essential for the regions.

The discussions highlighted the growing call for stronger regional involvement in EU decision-making, particularly as negotiations on the next long-term budget intensify.