Cooperatives Europe Meets Executive Vice-President Fitto to Discuss Cohesion Policy and the Right to Stay Initiative

On 1 July, Cooperatives Europe, represented by Director Agnes Mathis and President Giuseppe Guerini, met with Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto to discuss the contribution of cooperatives to regional development, cohesion policy and the future of the EU’s Right to Stay initiative.

The meeting opened with an overview of Cooperatives Europe’s work and the diversity of the cooperative movement across Europe. Building on our position paper on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), President Giuseppe Guerini presented the organisation’s priorities for the future of EU cohesion policy. He underlined the importance of maintaining the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as separate and standalone instruments to ensure that they continue to address their distinct objectives effectively.

A second focus of the discussion was the Commission’s Right to Stay initiative, which aims to support the long-term development and resilience of Europe’s regions and territories. Cooperatives Europe highlighted the unique contribution of cooperatives as businesses that are owned by their members, remain rooted in their communities and respond directly to local needs. This model helps deliver essential services in remote and rural areas, including transport, care, local retail and community energy, while supporting economic activity and social cohesion.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to present Cooperatives Europe’s Made in Europe campaign, which promotes the complementary idea of businesses that are not only made in Europe but also owned in Europe. The discussion emphasised the importance of strong partnerships between cooperatives and local and regional authorities in supporting sustainable territorial development.

Executive Vice-President Fitto welcomed the exchange and recognised the role cooperatives play in connecting the needs of communities with the economic potential of local people. He also stressed that future EU financial instruments should remain flexible enough to respond to the different challenges faced by regions across Europe.

Looking ahead, Cooperatives Europe welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the upcoming consultation process on the Right to Stay initiative, expected to begin in early 2027. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue the dialogue on strengthening the role of cooperatives in Europe’s regional and cohesion policies.