Europarlement steunt ontwikkelingsfonds voor gebieden 'in overgangsfase' (en) - Hoofdinhoud

Plans to create a new category of regions to benefit from EU cohesion funding in 2014-2020 were supported by MEPs in a resolution on Tuesday. Better targeted and more transparent European structural funds, to help reduce regional disparities while rising to the challenges of the Europe 2020 strategy, were among other demands made in the resolution.

A majority of MEPs voted in favour of creating a category of regions 'in transition' which have a "per capita GDP between 75% and 90% of the EU average" (…) "in order to avoid unequal treatment of regions in spite of their similar situations".  The argument for this is that some regions have risen above the 75% threshold that entitles them to receive "convergence" funding, while others that were previously better off have been hit by the crisis or by structural problems that have hampered their development.

The current 'phasing-out’ and ‘phasing-in’ systems would be replaced by more predictable and balanced structural aid over seven years for around 50 regions in the United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Finland, Austria, Spain, Poland, Italy and Malta.

Priorities and measurable targets

The resolution, drafted by Markus Pieper (EPP, DE) and adopted by 506 votes to 48 with 101 abstentions, calls for a marked increase in funding for territorial cooperation, particularly for cross-border transeuropean transport and energy network projects.

The resources available under Objective 2 (regional competitiveness and employment) should be used "to achieve results on a limited number of EU priorities, such as support for SMEs, green innovations, local economies, education and training, infrastructure, sustainable mobility, renewable energies and energy supply, resource efficiency and social inclusion", says Parliament, while stressing the need for some margin for manoeuvre regarding choices and results to be achieved, according to each region’s specific needs.

Simpler, more effective inspections

MEPs stress that the European Social Fund (ESF) "must remain part of cohesion policy", allowing for many small-scale, locally based projects, but that the Commission must reduce the red tape preventing small companies and organisations from gaining access to structural funding.

To simplify inspection systems and make the Member States take responsibility, the report calls for "the use of a single-level inspection procedure, under which Member States would inspect projects and the Commission would inspect the Member States’ inspection systems".

Next steps

In late September the Commission intends to unveil a package of legislation, consisting of a general regulation together with individual regulations for the Social Fund, Cohesion Fund, Regional Development Fund and for territorial cooperation.  At the end of 2011, a proposal is due to follow for a common strategic framework for all the EU funds.

Procedure:  Non-legislative resolution