The declaration was adopted on the second day of a two-day meeting in Bratislava. It was adopted by the V4 parliamentary Speakers and representatives of other countries cooperating with the group through the "Friends of Cohesion" initiative.
Poland was represented by upper-house Speaker Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska.
The declaration says the next EU budget should provide funding for competitiveness, security, energy resilience and other strategic priorities, while maintaining strong financing for cohesion policy, Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy.
It says these policies support convergence, food security, resilience to climate threats and the strengthening of the single market. It also states that cohesion is an investment in the competitiveness and resilience of the entire EU.
The declaration highlights the role of national parliaments in EU financing. Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a decision on the EU's own resources enters into force only after approval by member states.
At a press conference, Kidawa-Błońska said the V4 parliamentary Speakers had met with all member countries represented for the first time in a long time.
She stressed the importance of regional cooperation and EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine.
She said countries seeking to join the EU must meet the same criteria that Poland had to fulfil when it joined.
Kidawa-Błońska announced that the declaration would be sent to the European Parliament and European Commission.
On Thursday, the Speakers discussed the European economy and EU enlargement. Poland was represented by both Kidawa-Błońska and lower-house Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty.
"Strong ties in Central Europe build a strong voice for our region on the EU forum," Czarzasty said.
Czarzasty said the discussions covered energy prices and a revision of the ETS2 emissions trading system. The V4 parliamentary speakers had reached a common position on these issues, he said.
They also discussed the European Competitiveness Fund, which is intended to strengthen innovation in the European economy, and the deregulation of EU rules. They declared their support for the EU enlargement process.
On Thursday, the parliamentary Speakers also adopted a separate joint declaration. It said affordable energy and secure supplies were essential for European competitiveness, industrial investment and citizens' prosperity.
They called for a comprehensive review of the EU emissions trading system, respecting the principles of solidarity and technological neutrality.
The declaration also described EU enlargement as a strategic investment in Europe's security, stability and prosperity. It identified the Western Balkans as a particular priority for the V4 and noted the recent start of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
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Source: PAP