Brussels, 28/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - After the fashion of the Socialists, the EPP Group came out in clear defence of cohesion policy, and above all of its budget within the multiannual financial framework (MFF), currently under negotiation. The amounts for cohesion policy must be kept at the same level at least as under the current programme, a group of seven MEPs from the European People's Party (EPP) states. Defining themselves as elected representatives of the member states of central Europe, they published a joint statement just a few days ahead of the European Summit (27 and 28 June), which is certain to discuss the MFF. “Any attempts to hinder future allocations of the cohesion funds is against the interests of the European citizens and questions the mission of a Europe based on the principle of solidarity and unity in diversity”, the statement reads. MEPs from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, who are members of the parliamentary committees on the budget (BUDG) and regional development (REGI), point out that the priority of cohesion is to narrow the gap between development in the regions of Europe, and that this is “of the utmost importance for our future”, all the more as “the current crisis has clearly taught us a lesson: boosting growth, employment and competitiveness across EU regions go hand-in-hand with the necessity of fiscal discipline”.
The group of MEPs takes the view that implementation of funding and spending must be improved, saying that from henceforth an “enhanced budgetary flexibility within the MFF should therefore be adequately aligned with evolving circumstances and priorities in order to respond to the specific and particular needs of member states and European regions”.
Other MEPs pointed out prior to the summit that speaking of “unspent” funding to be re-scheduled, as was the case at the previous European Council, is inadequate and detrimental to the image of cohesion policy. Lambert van Nistelrooij (EPP, Netherlands), who is a member of the REGI committee, shares the view that maximum focus should be on growth and competitiveness in Europe. “But the suggestion has been made that there is €55 billion 'free money'. This is not the case: the funds are already planned for projects in the areas of innovation, research and development, energy efficiency and social inclusion”, he said. Van Nistelrooij is backed on this by Joachim Zeller (EPP, Germany), who asserts it is quite normal that funding should not yet be earmarked for 2013. (MD/transl.jl)