Luxembourg, 10/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Negotiations on reform of Cohesion Policy did certainly not conclude with a political agreement during the most recent inter-institutional trilogue on Thursday 10 October in Strasbourg, two days after another technical meeting.
Speaking on Twitter, however, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, explained that, “we are 5 metres from a deal on cohesion policy reform that is very near the finishing line”.
Unsurprisingly, it is macro-economic conditions that are still creating problems and the role that the European Parliament could play in procedures (see EUROPE 10937). Nonetheless, negotiators appear to have found room on which they can agree on other politically sensitive questions, such as performance requirements, co-financing and pre-financing rates. The next trilogue is planned for Monday 14 October. (MD/transl.fl)