Brussels, 16/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - On 12 March in Paris, Claude Gewerc, the president of the Regional Council of Picardie (France), spoke to the Vice-President of the European Commission, Jyrki Katainen, about the European Fund for Strategic Investments. During this meeting, he asked for the regions to be allowed to have their say in the selection of the projects receiving funding.
He informed EUROPE that “investment will be made in the regions and they therefore need to be involved in them”. He also provided assurances that he did not want to “replace the EFSI experts' committee”. Katainen said that he was “very open” to suggestions about this issue and “highlighted the fact that the local authorities could be responsible for global projects” as part of the EFSI initiative.
Gewerc is the Committee of the Regions rapporteur on the Juncker investment plan and this committee is planning to adopt an opinion on EFSI in the middle of next month (see EUROPE 11270). His draft text will be further edited following the meetings planned with the Commission political groups and its senior officials. (Jean Comte)