Brussels, 07/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 7 January, the European Commission gave a boost to multi-level governance with its adoption of a code of conduct, which will accompany implementation of structural funding and European investment for the new 2014-2020 programming period. New provisions on the five funds were recently adopted at the end of December in an effort to ensure their application in time and these form the main thrust of the partnership concept, which also includes an agreement between European governments and the European Commission. The regional authorities and other stakeholders will also be involved in this initiative.
The European commissioner for social affairs, Laszlo Andor, explained that the regulation adopted (in the form of a code of conduct) would be applied in all member states immediately (by way of a deligated act). He said that “all member states will attempt to ensure that all the different points of view are taken into account when deciding on what priorities need to be worked out and what the most efficient investment strategies are”. The commissioner added that this would help meet genuine needs, involving relevant stakeholders by listening to them more closely. This improved cooperation with the authorities responsible for using structural funds involves local and regional authorities, as well as local government, employers, trade unions, NGOs and civil society.
In practical terms, national governments will have to demonstrate transparency in the selection of the representatives of these interlocutors. The central authorities will also have to communicate the necessary information to them and introduce the appropriate conditions for involving them in the consultation process. These partners will be asked to cooperate throughout the European investment programme life cycles, as well as in their follow-up and assessments. Member states will also have to ensure that partners have sufficient capacity for participating in this process and that they are able to benefit from the different platforms to ensure an exchange of best practices.
The Commissioner provided assurances that “all member states are expected to adhere to these rules when they put the final touches to the 2014-2020 financial programmes”. Nonetheless, a certain room for manoeuvre has been allowed for member states to organise this close form of cooperation, so that partnerships are adapted to the different national contexts, because certain member states are more decentralised than others. Commissioner Andor is convinced that the precepts of this code of conduct should help to ensure that every single euro used is done in the best possible way “to tackle the economic and social challenges Europe will face from now until 2020”. (MD/transl.fl)