The Cohesion Fund is aimed at member states with a Gross National Income per inhabitant of less than 90 percent of the EU average and aims to reduce economic and social disparities and promote sustainable development.


Manuel Machado, the head of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, said at the end of an Iberian summit of municipalities in the northern city of Aveiro that it was not “acceptable” for there to be a reduction of funding of 45 percent and that it was “indispensable” to boost the Cohesion Fund and cross-border cooperation programmes.


The summit last Friday aimed to analyse cross-border cooperation between Spain and Portugal and the role of the local authorities in the next community support framework for 2021-2027.