Press release | Cohesion policy reform;EU annual budget;
On 6 February, Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă, the Prime Minister of Romania, set out the priorities for the European Union during a debate with local and regional leaders. Romania – who is holding the six-month rotating EU Presidency - said that at a time of growing populism, strengthening European cohesion was of paramount importance and needed the full support of all regions and cities. With the UK's expected departure from the EU in March, complex negotiations on the future EU budget on-going and European elections in May, she called for a shared commitment to competitiveness, convergence and security, stressing the need for a strong cohesion policy in the EU long-term budget post 2020.