The vice-president of the Commission with responsibility for employment and investment, Jyrki Katainen, "does not expect that Spain and Portugal would ever be in the position of losing their structural funds", as he "strongly believes that they are willing and capable to fulfil their promises". He announced this at the final press conference of the informal meeting of the finance ministers, held in Bratislava on Saturday 10 September.
Later this month, the Commission will enter into 'structured dialogue' with the European Parliament on the freezing of the structural and investment funds (ESI funds) for Spain and Portugal, a measure that is an option as the two Iberian countries failed to respect their trajectory to reduce their public deficits between 2013 and 2015 (see EUROPE 11619).
"We have to remember that we are talking about partial suspension of the commitments", Katainen however clarified, adding that if there was a suspension, it would not touch the payments and that the money would continue to flow into these countries in line with the commitments and projects already decided upon.
The two states will avoid a suspension of their commitments if they comply with the budgetary trajectories they have themselves signed up to and keep their promises to the citizens and other member states in terms of consolidation, the vice-president went on to explain.
"We hope that this issue and this dialogue will be based on proper actions" from the two countries, the Slovak finance minister, Peter Kazimir, explained on behalf of the Slovak Presidency of the Council. In his view, it is not just about the flexibility of the Pact, but also about making good on the promises. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)