Our guest recently described the EU's action on cohesion – levelling up Europe's diverse regions – as "more than a policy: rather, a guiding principle to strengthen and unite Europe" in an op-ed. Elisa Ferreira has been the EU Commissioner in charge of Cohesion and Reforms since 2019. On Talking Europe, we discuss the outcome of the European elections, and whether new spending priorities – including on defence – could end up competing with cohesion funding needs. Despite her warnings on that, Ferreira remains optimistic. "I trust that we Europeans will be intelligent enough not to fragment Europe in such difficult times," she tells the programme. We also showcase a best-of our cohesion reports over the past year, filmed by Luke Brown and Johan Bodin.

Ferreira addresses the rise in far-right parties in the June 2024 EU elections – a vote that was obvious in poorer regions which, perhaps paradoxically, have benefited from cohesion funding. "If there is no progress, if people feel that the next generation will have a worse life than their own lives, then people start doubting if there is a place for them in this economy and in this Europe. And then they start blaming people, blaming someone for this lack of future. So it is important that we give a dimension of mutual support, with different intensities and with different instruments, because in certain regions you still need to solve roads or basic infrastructures. In other regions you just need to help these regions to go through their transitions. The solidarity across citizens and regions is what makes Europe a success project."Turning to the battle for the top EU jobs following the election, Ferreira comments: "I would like to make sure, with all the results that we hav... Go on reading on our web site.
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