Brussels, 30/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 31 March, Commissioner Johannes Hahn (regional policy) and Laszlo Andor (employment, social affairs and inclusion) will present the synthesis report on implementation of the cohesion policy programmes for the EU in 2007-13. Based on the 27 national reports elaborated by each EU member state, this report provides, for the first time, an insight into the progress accomplished by member states and their regions with regard to the objectives approved for 2007-09. It targets areas where progress has been convincing and those where further effort is required. This report enables each country to compare its performance with the EU average in several priority areas and help decide whether progress has been good or slow.
In a press release, the Commission explains that most of the resources in cohesion policy - around €230 billion - were allocated to investment in key strategy sectors for growth and jobs. On the basis of the EU average, 27% of funds for 2007-13 had already been earmarked to given projects worth €93 billion. According to member states, the initial investment promises on structural change had been met. The amounts for projects already selected rose to more than €93 billion (27%) after around 18 months of application on the ground. This is a positive result in the context of economic crisis and recovery with the close of the programmes for 2000-06.
According to the report, progress has thus been achieved in areas such as research and development, as well as innovation and more effort can be made to speed up implementation of projects in the rail sector. Certain investment could be increased in energy and the environment and the digital economy and social inclusion could be developed.
The Commission points out that member states are obliged to draft national strategic reports twice a year over the 2007-13 period. It also indicates that around 35.7% of the EU budget for 2007-12 - €347.41 billion over 7 years) is assigned to financial instruments supporting cohesion policy, namely, European Regional Development Funds, the European Social Fund and Cohesion Funds.
The report also contains a number of examples of good practices chosen by member states and regions and it makes a clear link between implementation of the programmes and attaining Europe's objectives up to 2020. (G.B.)