Brussels, 23/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - Whilst the regions feel sidelined in the creation of the partnership contracts and operational programmes, Johannes Hahn has pledged a report, for the end of the year, on the implementation of the principle of multi-level governance.
This principle is set in stone in the code of conduct accompanying the reform of cohesion policy. However, recent research carried out by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions casts doubt on its application (see EUROPE 11081). On Friday 23 May, the European commissioner for regional development admitted that he wanted local political representatives, and also NGOs, to be able to take a more active part in preparing the investment strategies for the European structural funds. He observed that this depended a great deal on the constitutional structure of the member states. “Those which are already decentralised are prepared to include various levels of authority. In the more centralised member states, which may be faced with this issue for the first time, it is possibly a bit more complicated”, he acknowledged. He stressed that his services would make sure that “everybody does indeed take part” in preparing the programmes.
He also announced that, by the end of the year, an assessment report will be published by the European Commission on the subject, “in order to get an initial idea of how well the concept is being taken on board”. Luc Van Den Brande, former president of the Committee of the Regions, will be responsible for this report. (MD)