Brussels, 05/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of the Danish partnership contract - the first -by the European Commission, on Monday 5 May, Denmark has inaugurated the new procedure for cooperation with the European executive in return for EU structural and investment funds in 2014-2020.
The recent reform of cohesion policy provides for the member states to present the Commission with strategic plans detailing their investment priorities for the five structural funds (European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development). Initially, these agreements are established in cooperation with civil society and the local and regional authorities and are then negotiated by the European Commission until they are approved. In the next few months, therefore, there will be 28 signatures on partnership agreements, with Denmark having blazed the trail on Monday 5 May.
In this case, it relates to European investments worth €553 million for regional policy in Denmark and €629 million for rural development. European Commissioner for Regional Development Johannes Hahn welcomed the step, stating that, with this partnership agreement, the country has “a solid base (…) which gives the future programmes in favour of innovation a strategic orientation, will make Danish SMEs into models of growth and will confirm the country's strong leading role in the green economy”.
The commissioner welcomed this step forward in a new way of managing EU regional policy, as these partnership agreements are “vital documents” guiding the member states and regions in their work over the next decade. “They reflect our determination, when it comes to using EU funds, to get out of the rut of paying for a few roads or regional airports here and there” (our translation). He pointed out that the partnership agreements are designed to ensure the strategic nature of European investments and therefore to focus on the real economy, sustainable growth and investment in human capital. His services will continue negotiations on the 27 other draft partnership agreements received by the Commission, with a view to their signature by the end of the summer. The Commissioner stressed that the commitment to secure the best possible effects from the structural funds had to be agreed on both sides. The next country on the list to sign a partnership agreement could be Germany. (MD)