Brussels, 08/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - An important step in the negotiations on reform of cohesion policy will be taken with the first European Parliament regional development committee (REGI) vote on Wednesday 10 July.
Regulations relating to five structural funds and the regulation incorporating the general provisions for them will be put to the vote on the basis of the informal agreements reached during the trialogue. Nonetheless, this common regulation was not completely concluded during the negotiations. Of the 17 negotiating blocks, several have still to find consensus within the institutions. This involves politically sensitive issues such as the common strategic framework, macro-economic conditionality, ex ante conditionality, the performance framework, financial points (instruments, management) and the final provisions. MEPs will stick to what was adopted in the negotiating mandate a year ago, given that the trialogue did not manage to make any amendments. According to one source close to the matter, the vote is not expected to be too different to what was established in the amendments and the negotiating brief. This vote is expected to help towards reaching an agreement in the first reading if the institutions continue to make progress, with the plenary vote in October. The Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of Ministers is therefore expected to finalise the reform and has affirmed its intention of completing negotiations by the end of the year. Lithuania will be meeting the European ministers concerned at an informal meeting on the subject in November. (MD/transl.fl)