Brussels, 15/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - Greece must learn to get more out of the EU Structural Funds than is put in over the next programming period, said EU Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn on Thursday 14 February during a visit to Patras, Greece. Hahn said “We need to make better use in this current period of the structural funds than in the past. We have found it hard to use the money available - which is not a problem with the amounts (Greece's capacity was praised in December by the Commission Taskforce, see EUROPE 10762, Ed.) but more the maturity of projects and their implementation. I can reassure you the European Commission, particularly the services, are at your disposal to help meet these challenges.” Hahn explained that in line with the EUROPE 2020 Growth Agenda, he wanted the focus to be on small businesses and on strengthening and creating new ones, expressing confidence in the country'a ability to recover: “My personal vision is that in a few years Greece will be so strong that it will be in a position to help others facing trouble. I am convinced it will be a healthy member of the European family once more.” Hahn will be visiting thirteen regions of Greece to explain how they can make the most of EU Structural Funds to invest in growth.
The Greek government managed to negotiate an increase in Cohesion Policy funding for 2014-2020, at the European Summit on Friday on the EU's multiannual financial framework (see EUROPE 10782). Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras announced that he had been able to win a €14.5 billion share of the Cohesion Policy, which will increase to €16.5 billion in 2016, when its share of the budget will be revised to take the impact of the crisis into account. A further €1.8 billion will be granted for rural development. Athens argued that the initial allocation, €11.2 billion, had been calculated on the country's economic performance before the crisis hit. (EL/transl.fl)