EGC 2026 – 4th European GREEN Conference

26-29 May 2026 | Vodice, CROATIA

Plenary Speaker

Shaping Europe’s Sustainable Future: Cohesion Policy, Strategic Investments, and Citizen Engagement in the Green and Digital Transition

Abstract
This plenary lecture addresses a central question at the heart of contemporary European governance: to what extent can individuals shape the direction of European Union policies and investments? By examining Cohesion Policy as one of the EU’s most significant financial and strategic instruments, the presentation bridges institutional analysis with the often-underexplored dimension of individual agency. Drawing on the 2021–2027 cohesion policy framework, the lecture will analyse how targeted investments are mobilised to advance the green and digital transitions while reinforcing climate, policy, and socio-economic resilience. Particular focus will be placed on key areas where these dynamics are most visible and impactful, including affordable housing and island regions. At the same time, the lecture will critically engage with the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, highlighting emerging priorities, structural shifts in EU budgetary governance, and the growing importance of strategic flexibility. In this forward-looking perspective, special attention will be given to the role of individuals – policy experts, diplomats, and engaged national, regional and local stakeholders – in influencing policy design, negotiating priorities, and shaping investment outcomes. By combining analytical depth with a reflective and forward-looking approach, the lecture argues that Europe’s sustainable transformation is not only a matter of financial capacity and institutional design, but also of informed, strategic, and persistent individual engagement within complex governance systems.

Short biography

Nives Mazur-Kumrić is an Associate Professor of International Law with extensive academic and diplomatic experience at the highest levels of European governance. She currently serves as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union in Brussels, where she is directly involved in shaping and codifying EU legislation. Her expertise focuses on cohesion policy and EU funds, with a particular emphasis on advancing the green and digital transitions in support of balanced economic, social, and territorial development. She has played an active role in EU-level negotiations, particularly during Croatia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, contributing to
key strategic areas such as the Multiannual Financial Framework, the European Green Deal, and responses to major challenges, including COVID-19 and Brexit. She combines policy practice with academic excellence as a scientific collaborator at the University of Liège, following a distinguished academic career that includes a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship in International Law. She remains actively engaged in academia as a widely published author in internationally recognized journals and books. Throughout her career, she has taught and lectured at numerous European universities and participated in international research and policy projects. Bridging theory and practice, she offers a rare combination of academic depth and direct policy impact. Through her professional engagement, she demonstrates how expertise, persistence, and strategic positioning can shape European policymaking and investment priorities. Her work reflects a strong commitment to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development across Europe.

e-mail: nives.mazur-kumric@mvep.hr

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