Source: European Parliament
On 4 June 2025, ENVI Members voted on an opinion in form of a letter to the REGI Committee on the Commission’s proposal amending the regulations for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund, and the Just Transition Fund (JTF), as part of the mid-term review of the 2021–2027 programming period
The proposal aims to align cohesion policy with current priorities and accelerate investment through simplification and flexibility. Due to the urgent and simplified procedure aiming to introduce changes as of 1 January 2026, ENVI’s opinion was presented in the form of a letter by the Chair. It focuses on the key environmental aspects of the proposal: The opinion supports the inclusion of water and endorses the affordable housing priority while expanding it to sustainability considerations. The letter further calls on the Commission to clarify how the ‘Do no significant harm’ principle would apply to defence investments, and stresses that such investments should not automatically be counted towards ERDF climate targets.