Brussels, 20/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Commissioners Kristalina Georgieva (Budget), Corina Cretu (Regional Policy) and Marianne Thyssen (Social Affairs) met the newly mandated members at the first high-level meeting on the simplification of structural and investment funds, chaired by the former Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas. Discussions focused on existing obstacles and solutions to the way in which these funds are used.
The meeting with the Commissioners took place in the morning. Commissioner Cretu was behind this initiative and during her speech, she called on the group to focus on the most efficient measures to take in terms of simplification, as well as possible ways of optimising the provisions in place and identifying remaining barriers preventing potential beneficiaries receiving available funds, in an effort to tackle the current difficulties. Finally, in the context of regional and cohesion policies after 2020 (see EUROPE 11377), the Commissioner called for a reflection process to begin on what possible measures could be taken in the future.
In the afternoon, the different participants debated the challenges relating to simplification based on the point of view of the European institutions and the other actors engaged in regional policies. The inter-institutional panel included the 12 members of the group, as well as the Luxembourg Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, François Bausch, a member of the European Parliament Regional Development Committee, the President of the Territorial Cohesion Policy Committee (COTER) and a member of the Court of Auditors.
The group provided an advisory role to the Commission in the REFIT programme and will formulate recommendations in 2016 as part of the mid-term review on the new changes to the 2014-20 funds and the reflection process on the post-2020 funds and cohesion policy.
The next meeting is planned for 1 December. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)