Brussels, 14/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament regrets what it sees as a wrong signal with regard to cohesion policy being sent out by the European Commission when it speaks of the sum of €82 billion that has still to be used. In plenary session on Tuesday 14 February, MEPs expressed their unhappiness following the announcement from Commission President José Manuel Barroso at the last informal Council meeting that this money could be used to support job creation for young people and for small businesses (SMEs). This, they claim, was a very bald statement and one that could harm the reputation and effectiveness of cohesion policy.
Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland), who chairs the EP regional development committee, has already made it clear what she thinks. She repeated her concern and her surprise to European Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn during a debate on an oral question in plenary session in the evening of Monday 13 February. “What is worrying, however, is that the way this proposal … has been presented to public opinion has created false interpretations, unnecessarily undermining the image of the policy and of its real impact on growth and job generation”, she said, arguing that “these funds have not yet been allocated to concrete projects but are already committed to priorities and programmes … which means that legal commitments have been created or that projects are ongoing.” An equally surprised Lambert van Mistelrooij (EPP, Netherlands) said that, everything having been settled, “we cannot begin to undo all that. Because that would mean that all those who have committed themselves to co-funding, or more, will be wondering if they will still be able to have confidence in public authorities in future”.
It was a question of confidence, too, for Constanze Krehl (S&D, Germany) who wanted to “send a warning: cohesion policy has been a success right along the line. It is highly visible and easily understood by citizens. When there are such vague statements on amounts and when it is suggested that an unsuccessful policy has been conducted so far and several billion euro can be pulled out of a hat, that does not engender confidence, but rather uncertainty.”
Hahn tried to make clear the Commission's good intent, noting that Barroso has sought, above all, to send “a wake-up call” on youth unemployment. This focus on building growth is not something that MEPs criticise. On the contrary, they support it and were relieved to see a proactive alternative to austerity, as Michael Theurer (ALDE, Germany) summed up: “What is essential is that we stop driving a vehicle which, when we put our foot on the accelerator, doesn't move forward. We have to make sure now that the real economy grows, that competitiveness increases and that we attack the root of the ill.” (MD/transl.rt)