Four provocative ideas for a radical rethink of cohesion policy

June 2025

As the EU prepares for cohesion policy post-2027, the debate is intensifying. Geopolitical shifts, climate challenges and growing regional disparities call for bold action. Meanwhile, pressure is growing to simplify cohesion policy and make it more strategic. But should we continue with incremental tweaks to the system, or is it time for a complete rethink?

Perhaps the period of uncertainty until the official proposal for the future of cohesion policy is presented can be used to think outside the box. This blog post deliberately goes beyond political feasibility to explore four radical ideas. Each of these ideas takes cohesion policy to an extreme. These ideas are neither realistic nor necessarily desirable in their extreme form, but they may help to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking. If nothing else, they serve as a reminder that sometimes stepping outside the usual policy frameworks can open the door to new and unexpected solutions.

What if cohesion policy became an annual payment to all citizens?

Instead of funding projects, cohesion policy could be transformed into a direct solidarity dividend for every EU citizen. With a budget of €392 billion (2021-2027), this would mean €125 per person per year - a small sum, but one with greater purchasing power in poorer regions.