Brussels, 27/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Supporters of cohesion policy breathed a sigh of relief with the announcement of an agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework (see other article). Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland), who chairs the Parliamentary committee for regional development stated on 27 June that “this political agreement is key, as it not only brings the necessary confidence and predictability to the regions and beneficiaries, but it will also allow the Institutions to conclude the negotiations on the legislative package in due time and within a clearly defined framework, thus ensuring that programmes will be up and running at the very beginning of the programming period starting in 2014”. She said that she was confident that the agreement would receive the necessary support from MEPs during the plenary vote. The president of the Committee of the Regions, Ramon Luis Valcárcel, said: “It is also vital to speed up the formal adoption of the cohesion regulation package, as well of all sectorial regulations, which are needed to allow the actual implementation of funds and investment programmes”. (MD/transl.fl)