8th Report on economic, social and territorial cohesion
Date: 2021-02-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
Subjects: EU regional policy



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ROADMAP  






Roadmaps aim to inform citizens and stakeholders about the Commission's work in order to allow them to provide feedback and to participate effectively in future consultation activities. Citizens and stakeholders are in particular invited to provide views on the Commission's understanding of the problem and possible solutions and to make available any relevant information that they may have. 






Title of the initiative




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






Lead DG – responsible unit 




REGIO.B.1






Likely Type of initiative




Commission Communication






Indicative Planning




Q4 2021






Additional Information




https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications






This Roadmap is provided for information purposes only and its content might change. It does not prejudge the final decision of the Commission on whether this initiative will be pursued or on its final content. All elements of the initiative described by the Roadmap, including its timing, are subject to change.









A. Context, Problem definition and Subsidiarity Check






Context






According to Article 175 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, every three years, on the progress towards achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU. The next report is to be adopted in 2021. 






Problem the initiative aims to tackle






According to Article 113 of Regulation (EU)1303/2013, the report shall cover three issues:


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, the 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. 







Basis for EU intervention (legal basis and subsidiarity check)







It is a treaty requirement to prepare this report (Art. 175 §2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).







B. What does the initiative aim to achieve and how






The main policy objectives of the report are:


·To describe the evolution of economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU;


·Describe the impact of EU and national policies on economic, social and territorial cohesion.


·Provide initial insights into the regional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic so far 







C. Better regulation






Consultation of citizens and stakeholders






The report does not require an impact assessment or a public consultation, nor does it constitute a formal evaluation. However, an event with stakeholders is currently planned, linked to this report: the 8th Cohesion Forum in 2022.






 Evidence base and data collection






The Cohesion Report relies primarily on data produced by Eurostat, the Joint Reasearch Centre, the European Environment Agency, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Bank. It draws on studies on regional development traps, contributions of national policies to cohesion, regional quality of government, access to education and health care in towns and rural areas and the impact of migration on regional development and other studies linked to regional analysis. No impact assessment will be carried out for this initiative.