Brussels, 26/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - Members of the EP's regional development committee (REGI) discussed review of cohesion policy at length on Wednesday 25 January in light of comments made by European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who last October tabled a review package for the next programming period 2014-2020. Given the many obstacles that are emerging in Council and Parliament on proposals, and given talks on the EU budget which will be continuing throughout the year, the commissioner responsible for regional policy suggests discussion on content and, in parallel, on the financial dimension. He advised this as a precautionary measure if the budget allocated to cohesion were to be cut, otherwise, he advised, some parties would have to leave the architecture and, if there is indeed reduction, then it must be in a linear manner without any areas in particular being amputated. He believes, however, that the amount requested for cohesion will be received.
Thematic concentration. Debate is tense when relating to thematic concentration for investment priorities. The Council and the EP have already, on several occasions, stated that it would be necessary to show proof of more flexibility, pointed out Lambert Van Nistelrooij (EPP, Netherlands), who is rapporteur on the general structural funds regulation. He is opposed to the percentage constraint, as such a frame, he believes, may not be appropriate in every case.
Partnership principle. Constanze Krehl (S&D, Germany), who is co-rapporteur with Lambert Van Nistelrooij, is still seeking to clarify the situation of partnership contracts. She hopes light will be shed so that one may know what parties are truly committed. The commissioner seeks to be reassuring, expecting the EP to give support on this point. It would be a matter of sealing agreements with member states while integrating regions, respecting multi-governance, and involving the local authorities and NGOs.
Indicators. The rapporteur on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Jan Olbrycht (EPP, Poland) is, for his part, highly critical about result indicators. He considers that the latter should be more adjusted to the specific characteristics of the regions. To this, Hahn answers that the Commission's approach is to find common indicators applicable to all 27 member states, and that the list proposed is not, at the end of the day, really that long. He recognises that it will be necessary to find an agreement on the content and the quality of these indicators.
Macro-economic conditionality. Naturally, conditionality gave rise to scepticism among MEPs, but debates tend to leave the matter to one side. The commissioner intimated that the concept of final resort was understood.
Return to cohesion in 2011. Although review of cohesion was the main reason for the presence of the commissioner at the REGI committee, Hahn nonetheless began his speech by setting out the amounts granted under structural funds in 2011. Nevertheless, Hahn did not conceal the fact that nearly €30 million had been disengaged in 2011, as the money is sometimes used for matters other than cohesion. He trusts that, in 2012, more attention will be paid to adequate use of cohesion instruments. (MD/transl.jl)