Minister Jevšek started his intervention on the future of Cohesion Policy by thanking his colleagues and EU member states for the support and expressions of solidarity with the Slovenian people that poured in after the devastating floods that hit Slovenia in August. ''The rapid response of many countries and hundreds of Slovenians shows that the spirit of solidarity unites us and pushes us to do incredible things. The same is true for Cohesion Policy.''

He underscored the position of Slovenia, saying that Cohesion Policy must remain the main investment policy for growth, employment, competitiveness, and a balanced territorial development.

''We need a strong, resilient, and flexible Cohesion Policy as we live in an era that is profoundly affected by different socio-economic, technological, and geopolitical trends,'' said the Minister. At the same time, he warned that amid the twin transition and the various crises that are taking place, the EU should leave no region behind.

According to Minister Jevšek, the place-based approach that takes into account the needs of people across the EU is the major achievement of Cohesion Policy. Each EU region and each region within an individual member state has its own distinct needs, that is why a 'one size fits all' approach does not work in Cohesion Policy. The Minister went on to say that we should keep our focus on providing conditions that enable a better quality of life for all EU citizens and ensure more resilient economies.

The Minister underscored the importance of complementarities and synergies between Cohesion Policy, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, other EU programmes, and national funds.

In this context, he drew attention to the limited administrative capacity of relatively small member states that find it difficult to coordinate and implement the various funds that come with different rules.

Finally, Minister Jevšek called for a more efficient implementation of Cohesion Policy and a well-coordinated involvement of partners on all levels.

Spain currently holds the Presidency of the EU Council. Today's informal meeting of the EU ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy marks the start of the debate on the future of Cohesion Policy that aims to reduce economic and social disparities between and within EU regions.