Giorgia Meloni; “On the margins of the European Council, I promoted, together with the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, an informal meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the “Friends of Cohesion” group, to strengthen political coordination on the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, in a crucial phase of the negotiations that will define the strategic priorities and the architecture of the future European budget.

“During the meeting, the shared conviction was reiterated that the future budget of the Union must enable us to address the new strategic challenges without penalizing the policies provided for in the Treaties, starting with cohesion policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the Common Fisheries Policy. Policies that represent essential investments for the future of Europe.

“We finally confirmed our common determination to maintain a united position in the negotiations and coordinated action also at the political level in all phases of the talks on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.”