Thomas Schwab
Economist | Project Manager | Research Architect @ Bertelsmann Stiftung
I specialize in European economic policy with a focus on how to foster economic cohesion all over the EU.
Views are my own
- 🔥 ETS2 & heating: what the evidence shows New analysis from @bertelsmannst.bsky.social mannstiftung.bsky.social: www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/publicati... 1/5
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View full threadPolicy priorities: ✔️ Target support precisely ✔️ Use the Social Climate Fund for investment, not blanket transfers ✔️ Scale up funding beyond ETS2, especially via Cohesion Policy 4/5
- A socially fair ETS2 is possible—but only if investment support comes first. #ETS2 #CohesionPolicy #SocialClimateFund #Housing #JustTransition #EUClimate 5/5
- Here the key findings: • Most households can absorb ETS2 heating cost increases (≈€60/year at €60/t CO₂). • A smaller group—often older, lower-income homeowners—cannot. • ETS2 revenues can fund targeted compensation, but not the investments needed to replace fossil heating. 2/5
- 👉 The real bottleneck is investment. Without frontloaded support, many households risk fossil lock-in while carbon prices rise. 3/5
- 🇪🇺 Big day in Brussels: von der Leyen meets Metsola to break the deadlock over the EU’s MFF. The EP fears the plan sidelines regions + weakens its role. Commission hints at concessions — but will that be enough to avoid a showdown? www.politico.eu/article/euro...
- This isn’t just about budget lines — it’s a test of EU governance: Can Brussels find a balance between efficiency, inclusiveness, and democratic legitimacy? The outcome could redefine how national + regional voices shape EU priorities.
- If they reach a deal ➡️ multi-level governance maintained & renewed trust. If not ➡️ turbulence ahead for cohesion + institutional balance. Which path seems more likely to you? #EU #MFF #Politics #CohesionPolicy
- 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞’𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞? 🇪🇺 The EU’s new budget debate isn’t just about money — it’s about power and participation. By centralising decisions in national governments, the Commission risks sidelining regions and civil society — the very actors who make policies work on the ground. 1/2
- In a time when Europe needs to act faster, it also needs to govern better. Strengthening regional voices isn’t a barrier to reform — it’s the key to legitimacy. 👉 Read my piece on why the real MFF debate is about who gets a say in Europe’s future. www.linkedin.com/pulse/eu-bud...
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- As I understand it, Cohesion Funds will be reduced to €218 billion, supplemented by €150 billion in loans. Farmers remain at the same level.
- 🚨 MFF: The What and How of Cohesion Policy 🇪🇺💶 As the EU prepares its next long-term budget (MFF), the future of Cohesion Policy is at a crossroads. What’s at stake? 👇 A short thread 🧵
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View full threadAt its heart, Cohesion Policy is about what kind of EU we want: – Inclusive? – Regionally balanced? – Green and digital for everyone? Not just about money—but purpose.
- So the question is: 👉 Does money follow policy, or does policy follow money? Here some line where I dig into this and more: 🔗 www.linkedin.com/pulse/mff-ho... Would love to hear your views. #EU #MFF #CohesionPolicy #Governance #EUBudget #StructuralFunds
- Cohesion Policy has had successes—but big gaps remain: Southern Italy, rural France, parts of Spain… still lagging. We must talk about why it didn’t work in these places. Ignoring failures ≠ progress.
- 💡 What’s needed? Reform + investment, bundled smartly. But conditionality is tricky: – Ties regions to national performance – Can backfire politically – Risks turning Brussels into a scapegoat It has to be done with care.
- 📉 With growing pressure from defence, tech, and competitiveness agendas, Cohesion funding is likely to shrink in relative terms—maybe even absolutely. Whether the budget grows or not, regions may lose ground.
- The current debate? It’s focused more on the how than the what. ✅ Yes, we need better delivery. ❌ But we risk sidelining local voices, civil society, and subnational actors. The lessons from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) are mixed.
- 📅 On July 16, the European Commission will propose the new MFF. It's not just about how much money the EU will spend—but where it goes, and what kind of Europe it builds. Cohesion Policy, the second-biggest budget line, could be redefined. Or downgraded.
- New Policy Brief: Cohesion Policy in National Envelopes: How to integrate Partnership EU Cohesion Policy is changing — but local voices must not be lost. 🛡️ ✅ National Partnership Committees ✅ Stronger rules for stakeholder involvement
- Partnership = smarter policies + stronger democracy. We outline how to ensure effective partnership in a reformed Cohesion Policy system. Let's not centralize away what makes Europe work. 🇪🇺 Full Brief here ➡️ www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/de/publikati... #EU #CohesionPolicy #Democracy #Partnership
- Deutschland hat eine neue Koalition: Union und SPD werden in den kommenden Jahren zusammenarbeiten. Im Koalitionsvertrag findet sich auf Seite 137 bemerkenswert viel zur zukünftigen Ausrichtung der Kohäsionspolitik. Hier eine Einordnung.
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View full threadWorüber wir im Bereich der Kohäsionspolitik zu diskutieren haben, habe ich vor einiger Zeit hier aufgeschrieben: www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/publicati...
- Allerdings bleibt offen, wie die Zivilgesellschaft eingebunden werden soll, insbesondere mit Blick auf eine mögliche Neustrukturierung des EU-Budgets.
- Insgesamt bietet der Koalitionsvertrag spannende Impulse für die europäische Debatte um die Kohäsionspolitik und das zukünftige Finanzrahmenwerk in den kommenden Monaten.
- Mit dem Hinweis auf stärkere Anreize für innerstaatliche Reformen ist ein performance-based Ansatz gemeint – also „Geld gegen Reform“. Das ist nicht nur logisch, sondern auch im Sinne der EU-Kommission, die betont: Institutions matter.
- Eine zentrale Steuerung der Kohäsionspolitik wird abgelehnt – die Bundesländer sollen weiter eingebunden bleiben. Das entspricht dem föderalen Partnerschaftsprinzip, das eine Beteiligung subnationaler Akteure sicherstellt.
- Die Koalition spricht sich für eine „angemessenere Mittelausstattung“ aus – hier wird bereits ein mögliches Schrumpfen des EU-Haushalts antizipiert.
- Die Forderung nach einer eigenständigen Fondsstruktur leicht erfüllbar: Diese ist im AEUV verankert, eine Änderung wäre also nur über eine EU-Vertragsreform möglich – was sie zu einer eher unstrittigen Position macht.
- Besonders auffällig ist der Fokus auf Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Innovation – das Ziel: das Potenzial aller Regionen ausschöpfen, um international aufzuschließen. Eine begrüßenswerte Zielsetzung, zu der wir auch eine umfassende Studie verfasst haben: www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/de/publikati...
- 🚨 Cohesion Policy: The End of the ERDF as we know it? Today, Mr. Fitto unveiled major changes to #CohesionPolicy. €100B+ in ERDF funds remain unspent — now up for grabs to fund defence, competitiveness, housing. Why is this the case?
- A policy in which funds are only re-oriented towards new priorities if this comes with huge financial incentives maybe needs a fundamental overhaul - just a guess…
- Using a policy designed to promote equity in economic participation for purposes like defence, competitiveness (i.e., efficiency), and other goals highlights a deeper issue: the EU-level policy framework may simply be unfit for purpose.
- 👉 What’s really needed? Purpose-built instruments — not a reshuffling of limited resources via one-off incentives or 100% EU financing promises. It’s time for a clear conversation: What should the EU fund — and just as importantly, what shouldn't it?
- The Commission is now allowing member states to shift unused Cohesion funds toward these goals. ✅ On one hand, it’s a pragmatic move. ❌ On the other, it creates a complex landscape with even more priorities — but no clear focus.
- The budget isn’t increasing, implying either/or: 1. Existing priorities get cut. 2. Funding is spread too thin to make a real difference. ⚠️ Let's be honest: Cohesion funds, just 0.3% of EU GDP, cannot meaningfully support the new goals — especially not through a system for long-term growth.
- 💶 With €226 billion allocated, the ERDF has been the cornerstone of EU Cohesion Policy. Yet, over €100 billion remains unallocated — the single largest untapped budget line in the EU today. The main reason? The rise of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
- 🌍⚡ Super-charging regional development: How do we empower the local energy transition? The EU’s path to climate neutrality by 2050 depends on a just and effective energy transition—but different regions face different challenges.
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View full thread🔹 @ciaranmulloolymep.bsky.social, MEP (Renew Europe) 🔹 Benedetta Scuderi, MEP (Greens/EFA) 🔹 Eero Ailio, @ec.europa.eu – DG Energy 🔹 @claireroumet.bsky.social, @energycities.bsky.social 🔹 Thomas Schwab, @bertelsmannst.bsky.social
- 📍 Live event at Press Club Brussels Europe 🍽️ Networking & light dinner included 🔗 Save your spot now! bertelsmann-stiftung.events/en/register/ #EnergyTransition #CohesionPolicy #EUGreenDeal #RenewableFuture #MFF2025 #ClimateNeutralEU #RegionsMatter @bst-europe.bsky.social
- 🏙️ Urban areas struggle with high energy demand. 🌾 Rural regions hold key resources for renewables. 💡 How can cohesion policy bridge the gap and drive real change? Join us March 18, 2025 | Brussels for a timely and vivid discussion with policymakers, experts & energy leaders ...
- 🌍 Praktikum: Klimapolitik & Datenanalyse – Gestalte Europas Zukunft mit uns! 📊 Europa geht den nächsten Schritt im Klimaschutz: Die CO₂-Besteuerung wird auf Gebäude ausgeweitet – mit spürbaren Folgen für Bürger:innen. Doch wer ist besonders betroffen? Und wie kann die EU gezielt helfen?
- 💡 In unserem neuen Studienprojekt analysieren wir genau das – für eine gerechte und wirksame Klimapolitik in Europa! 🔍 Wir suchen dich! 👉 Du interessierst dich für Klimapolitik (Green Deal, Clean Industrial Deal, ETS2)? 📊 Du hast Erfahrung in Wirtschaftsgeographie & Datenanalyse?
- Dann werde Teil unseres Teams! 🚀 📍 Standort: Berlin 📎 Mehr Infos & Bewerbung: jobsearch.createyourowncareer.com/BertelsmannS... #Klimapolitik #Datenanalyse #Praktikum #SocialClimateFund #GreenDeal #ETS2 #EconSky #CohesionSky
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- Germans‘ love for Fax 📠 knows no boundaries: www.derstandard.at/story/300000...
- Die neueste Ausgabe des Jahrbuch für öffentliche Finanzen #JöFin ist soeben erschienen! Darin enthalten mein Beitrag "Quo vadis, Kohäsionspolitik? Die europäische Regionalentwicklung am Scheideweg". Überall erhältlich, wo es gute Bücher zu kaufen gibt 😀 @bertelsmannst.bsky.social #CohesionSky
