Brussels, 14/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - In Luxembourg on Monday 14 June, the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted conclusions on the European Commission's strategic report for 2010 on implementation of cohesion policy programmes. In its conclusions, the Council urges (1) member states to continue to improve the project selection process in areas like railways, energy, the environment, the digital economy, social inclusion, governance and capacity-building; (2) the Commission to examine all options for achieving better coordination and simplification of the cohesion policy, rationalising the programming, management and audit process and removing the burden of red tape where possible while respecting subsidiarity and proportionality in order to ensure healthy financial management and thereby ensure rapid and efficient use of the EU's budget.
The Council awaits with interest: - the communications to be published by the Commission later this year on how the cohesion policy can contribute to the EU 2020 strategy, as well as special Commission suggestions in the fifth cohesion report; - the second phase of the strategic reports on implementation of cohesion policy programmes foreseen in EU Regulation 1083/2006/EC in 2012 and 2013.
The Council requests that the Commission publish new legislation on the future of the cohesion policy early enough for the new programmes to genuinely start on 1 January 2014. (G.B./transl.fl)