Brussels, 15/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Bucharest on Monday 15 December, the Commissioner for Investment, Jyrki Katainen, launched a European roadshow to promote the European Commission's initiative designed to attract more than €300 billion in private investment over three years (EUROPE 11205).
“We are taking to the road to build on the strong political support we have already received and to explain to the public and private sector how they can get involved” in the 'Juncker' plan, the Commission said in a press release. During his visit, he met the Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, and Finance Minister Ioana-Maria Petrescu.
This roadshow will stop off in all 28 member states. The Commission hopes to go wherever potential investors are to be found, including third countries such as Switzerland.
The European Council of Thursday 18 and Friday 19 December will be called upon to approve the proposal of the European Commission to create a European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) under the aegis of the EIB (EUROPE 11216). The version of the draft conclusions of the Summit dated Monday 15 December confirms the willingness of the Twenty-Eight to move forward (see Twitter @AgencEurope). Among the questions raised are the direct contributions of the member states to the future fund, which will be up and running from mid-2015, the treatment of these contributions with regard to the Stability Pact and the project selection criteria.
On the back of €16 billion in guarantees based on the EU budget and a contribution of €5 billion from the EIB, the EFSI could draw down up to €315 billion in private funding to pay for projects included on the list submitted by the Commission/EIB task force (EUROPE 11214). (MB)