Brussels, 11/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - MEPs from the Parliament's committee on regional development (REGI) well and truly decided to forge a strong position on the reform of cohesion policy, which the Commission wants for the 2014-2020 period. On Wednesday 11 July and Thursday 12 they are voting on a long list of amendments to the Commission's proposals on the general regulation and on the regulations on the European Regional Development Fund, on the Cohesion Funds and on the European grouping of territorial cooperation (EGTC). Overall, the EP shares the ambition to make cohesion policy more effective, but it wants to do this flexibly, without heavy sanctions, and while involving local authorities more. Spread out over two days, the votes will establish the clear position of the REGI committee ahead of a vote in plenary after the summer break, prefiguring negotiations with the Council. The MEPs have accelerated their working pace with the goal of finding an agreement on the legislative architecture for the end of the year, the budgets having been negotiated within the multiannual financial framework. Nonetheless the cohesion package in its entirety will only be fully backed once the EU budget has been established. (MD/transl.fl)