Brussels, 25/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 February, the first meeting took place between the new President of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Markuu Markkula and the European Commissioner for Regional Development, Corina Cretu.
The two officials confirmed that they shared the same priorities and suggested that cooperation between them would be strengthened in the future. This would involve ensuring that European Structural Funds and the €315 billion from the new European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) were optimally used, particularly within the Energy Union framework, initiatives for SMEs and the digital market.
It is also possible that the CoR and European Commission further cooperate in an effort to improve the use of available funds and encourage the use of structural funds in the form of innovative financing and not just subsidies.
CoR raised the question of growing disparities between the regions and the need for an integrated European urban agenda.
Commissioner Cretu repeated the fact that the work carried out by CoR was invaluable for his institution because it “is so vital as it serves to strengthen our link to the grassroots level in Europe”. (Translation from the original French version)