Brussels, 13/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Attaining the EU 2020 strategy objectives through a flexible allocation of structural funds will demand greater synergy between the sectors and simplified implementation, together with integration into a common regulation for five European funds (social, regional, cohesion, fisheries and rural development). The different European commissioners affected by the revision of cohesion policy spoke with a single voice in regard to attaining the 2020 objectives in the next 2014-2020 programming. This took place during a political debate on Thursday 13 October, as part of the European cities and regions Open Days.
Commissioner Hahn, responsible for regional policy, provided assurances that the 2020 objectives were not just a series of keywords or an impalpable concept but the future of “our children”. With regard to revision of cohesion policy, the commissioner pointed out that member states would be subject to a careful examination process with a predefined scoreboard. Member states would have to agree to being controlled on the basis of EU 2020 objectives but they would also be rewarded for their efforts. This orientation was also fully supported by the commissioner for social affairs, Lászlo Andor, who explained that structural funds help put the EU 2020 objectives into practice and that they had to find a balance between conditionality and flexibility for the regions and beneficiaries. Johannes Hahn recognised that there was some room for manoeuvre: “We all agree on the overall objectives, but the approach needs to be adapted to the specificities of each of the regions. We are not going to support solar energy in the North but in the South.”
Cohesion fund management in the future will be carried out horizontally and no longer on a sectoral basis as is currently the case, in an effort to maximise results. This is an essential point for the commissioners concerned. They welcomed the Commission's adoption of a legislative framework for European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), European Social Funds (ESF), Cohesion Funds, European Agricultural Funds for Rural Development (EAFRD), and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). Maria Damanaki, the commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, is therefore counting on a synergy between them and explained that the member states would have to go in this direction in order to facilitate matters. She regards simplified project implementation, especially for beneficiaries, as being crucial and considers that “it is necessary to simplify the life of beneficiaries so that they focus on the heart of their action”. (MD/transl.fl)