The National Association of Italian Municipalities-ANCI Foundation ANCI-CITTALIA in partnership with a network of Strategic cities that includes Potenza (IT), Venice (IT), Warsaw(Poland), Grenoble Alpes Metropole (France), Croatian Regions Office, the Region of Hanover (DE), Swietokrzskie (Poland) Varmland (Sweden), Lubuskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Poland) and Nitro in the seminar “Is there a future for multi-level cohesion policy?”  Participants at the conference presented their views on the future of cohesion policy and their best practices achieved so far. The conference was included as a part of the 9th Open Days Week of European Regions and Cities.

Cohesion policy has been for some time the second most common financial policy of the EU. The financial "weight" of this policy is reflected by the extent of socio-economic disparities within the EU but also by the political importance of cohesion to the project of a united Europe, which reflects the extent of socio-economic disparities within the EU but also the political importance of cohesion to the project of a united Europe. Namely, each enlargement of the EU has been in order to accept the less developed countries that need to as soon as possible integrate into the common market, and become equal participants in the European economic and political project.

The main aim of the conference “Is there a future for multi-level cohesion policy?” was to find the best way to increase cooperation between public institutions of the EU, national governments and regional/local government. The participants agreed that coordination between institutions at all levels is not represented in the extent to which it should due to the lack of communication and support from the EU to national and regional governments of member states. This problem does not apply solely to the individual EU member state, but also to member states and their institutions responsible for implementing cohesion policy.

Patrick Galeski, the Representative of the Varazdin County Development Agency-AZRA, was one of the speakers at the seminar. His presentation was entitled "Progress towards Structural Funds in Varazdin County," in which he explained the current work of the agency and stressed that  Varazdin County is ready to apply to EU Structural Funds and implement projects for these funds as soon as Croatia enters the EU. It was found at the conference that there is a lot of interest from the EU member states, mainly Polish, Sweden and Germany, to cooperate on projects, but also to invest in Croatia.           

- The interest of foreign investors in the Varaždin region is large and we hope that Croatian accession to the EU enhances our cooperation with other regions.  In short, we hope that EU membership will open greater opportunities for cooperation that are related to accessing structural funds. -         

Cohesion policy is much more than simply a financial contribution to growth and jobs. With an initial emphasis on achieving balanced development within the EU, the objective of cohesion policy eventually moves to strengthen the global competitiveness of the European economy. The EU contribution to sustainable economic growth of member states is achieved by directing EU funds, and thus the national funds (financing), the priority investments (those with a strong economic contribution) and the introduction of better access to thinking about the development of national practices of Member States, based on strategic planning and mutual communication and cooperation.