by InTrieste
Massimiliano Fedriga, governor of Friuli Venezia Giulia and president of the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, called for a careful approach to European Union cohesion policy during a meeting of Confindustria’s Regional Representation Council in Rome.
Fedriga expressed concern about the potential risks of over-centralization and the consolidation of structural funds. He noted that while resources are earmarked for less-developed areas, wealthier regions face no binding obligations, raising the possibility that some territories could be disadvantaged.
Highlighting the need for accountability, the governor emphasized that monitoring should focus not only on expenditure but also on the implementation of projects. He advocated for a multi-level governance approach, in which common objectives are adapted to the specific needs of individual regions.
Fedriga also stressed the importance of deepening collaboration between regional governments and Confindustria, advocating for a shared technical dialogue among institutions, the business community, and local territories.
“Efforts must start with training,” Fedriga said, citing initiatives in Friuli Venezia Giulia that have already established local qualification programs in Ghana, with plans to expand to Brazil and Argentina. He described these programs as a model for managing controlled and targeted immigration that meets the practical needs of Italy’s productive sectors.
Addressing the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, Fedriga acknowledged the regions’ past contributions but voiced uncertainty about future prospects. He warned that replicating the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) model in cohesion policy could risk overall ineffectiveness, potentially leading to a “leveling down.”
Fedriga noted that Italian regions have raised these concerns at the European level, where there is broad political agreement, though he said their input has often gone unheard.
