The European Commission is not giving up on plans to reform the way investments involving EU funds are managed, aiming to increase the efficiency of spending by strengthening the role of national governments. However, this would come at the expense of regional marshals, whose current political position is largely based on the allocation of EU funds. That is why the situation in EU politics is heating up, as regional authorities from Spain to Poland and Romania criticize the European Commission’s approach.

Voices suggesting that cohesion policy may become more centralized have been emerging for over a year now. They are particularly critical of this direction. The European Commission has diplomatically taken a small step back, but it has not abandoned the reform itself. A week ago in Strasbourg, during the European Parliament session, farmers protested against the idea of merging agricultural policy with the cohesion fund. Regional leaders, however, are most concerned about the concept of NRPP (National and Regional Partnerships Plans). There are supposed to be 27 NRPPs — one for each Member State — acting as investment strategies. In this scenario, there would likely no longer be regional programs for each voivodeship.

What would that mean in practice?

The reform would apply to the new EU budget for 2028–2034. Under these assumptions, Poland would most likely develop a single NRPP, adopted by the government after consultations with regional authorities, outlining priority investments and spending directions. However, there would no longer be regional operational programs for each voivodeship, meaning that regional marshals could lose real power over the distribution of EU funds.

This direction faces strong resistance from the regions, so a heated battle at the European level is inevitable. The European Committee of the Regions is particularly critical.

Few groups decide about large funds in Poland

Formally, in Poland’s voivodeships, EU funds are allocated by the Voivodeship Boards, headed by the marshals. In the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region, this is a five-member body that holds considerable authority. Although in the hierarchy of Polish law the Regional Assembly is more important, in practice it does not have to approve how the funds are spent.