Brussels, 08/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - Cohesion policy reform will not escape co-decision. MEPs are resolved to sway the Commission and Council on this point, while whole sections of the legislative package could escape parliamentary scrutiny. Rapporteurs on the Common Strategic Framework (CSF), the regulation common to five structural funds proposed by the Commission for the next cohesion policy, drove the point home once again when presenting a second series of amendments to the parliamentary committee for regional development (REGI), on Tuesday 8 May.
Constanze Krehl (S&D, Germany) and Lambert Van Nistelrooij (EPP, NL) presented an informal working document providing for the CSF to become a full part of the general regulation, and hence for it to be treated in the same manner as the other regulations relating to structural funds, in co-decision. To this end, they are calling for the CSF to be dealt with as an appendix and not as a delegated act. The Commission appears open to the idea and may not call for delegated acts unless for technical details, and would be willing to give it consideration. This progress is not fully to the delight of Van Nistelrooij, who pointed out that the Commission had said it was ready to envisage something at the last meeting and that, now it is ready to reflect, progress is being made but that there is not much time left. Constanze Krehl, the co-rapporteur, is delighted by the move forward but draws attention to another point that still causes the Parliament some concern. Although elements of the legislative package are part of the negotiating box on the multiannual financial framework (2014-2020), she said, “the Council must not put a package on the table as that will not work. We have not amended the treaty (Ed.: giving more power to Parliament) to come to that. Cohesion policy must come under co-decision”. The parliamentary discussion on amendments covered the financial instruments and flexibility needs which will likely be the subject of additional amendments before the end of the month. Finally, the parliamentary committee is divided over the €10 billion that would be paid back for transport within the Connecting Europe Facility. Some MEPs welcome the European added value that the Facility may bring while others fear that cohesion money will lose its national hue. (MD/transl.jl)