Kathleen Funchion: Warns EU Cohesion Policy Risks Militarisation
MEP Kathleen Funchion criticised a European Parliament report on cohesion policy for opening the door to militarisation and urged MEPs to reject it. She argued that routing cohesion funds into military or so-called dual technology projects diverts money from jobs, infrastructure and community services in regions such as Ireland South.
Main criticism
Cohesion policy was described by Kathleen Funchion as the EU's flagship policy of solidarity, but she warned the Parliament's report would allow cohesion spending to be repurposed for military aims. She said the report "opens the door to the militarisation of cohesion policy" and called that outcome shameful.
Funding and local impact
Funchion warned that each cent diverted into military spending is a cent taken away from constituencies such as Ireland South and all regions needing investment. She highlighted that cohesion funding has previously supported roads, jobs and community childcare facilities, and said those priorities would be undermined if funds are channelled into military or dual-use infrastructure.
Assessment of the report
While acknowledging the report's ambition and budgetary strengths, Kathleen Funchion said it fails the litmus test for her and her colleagues on the left because it equates so-called dual technology and military infrastructure with investment in workers and public infrastructure. She also thanked Mr Protest and his team for their cooperation and work on what she called an otherwise ambitious report.
Appeal to colleagues and public engagement
Funchion urged all MEPs, especially Irish MEPs, to reject the measure and to defend cohesion policy's social and regional aims. She closed by inviting viewers to like, share, subscribe and share their thoughts in the comments.
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Stay in the loop with the biggest moments from the European Parliament I firstly want to thank Mr Protest and all his team for their cooperation and work, as in many ways this is the report the European Parliament needs. It is ambitious for a well-budgeted and progressive cohesion policy. However, it has a major flaw which means it fails the litmus test for myself and for my colleagues on the left. It opens the door to the militarisation of cohesion policy. Let's take a step back and think about what that means. Cohesion policy, the flagship policy of solidarity of the EU is now on the road with the Parliament's blessing to be in just another military policy. This is shameful. We are of course all aware of the geopolitical realities but is nothing sacred. Is absolutely everything now just fuel for the fire and drive towards the militarisation agenda of the EU. Our regions, all of them, need investment and need the EU to help protect jobs, develop our environment and support our workers in these very uncertain times. Yet, this report, which I acknowledge has many strengths, says that spending on military infrastructure disguised as so-called dual technology is as important as investing in our workers or our infrastructure. Let's be clear that each cent diverted into military spending is a cent taken away from my constituency of Ireland South and all of our regions. The EU cohesion policy that funded roads, funded jobs, funded some of our community childcare facilities in Ireland is now being used to feed the war machine. I think this is a new low and I call upon all MEPs, especially our Irish MEPs, to reject it. Like, share and subscribe and let us know your thoughts in the comments. We'd love to hear from you.
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