The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) called, in a policy position paper adopted at its general assembly in Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal on Thursday 3 November, for financial instruments to be better articulated with cohesion policy and for ex-ante conditionalities to be strengthened. Deadlock remains, however, on differentiation of monitoring and audits among the regions of the EU.
“Cohesion policy is a policy and not a cheque. If it were to become a cheque, that would be a failure”, Eleni Marianou, CPMR Secretary General, said ahead of the adoption of the position. Cohesion policy is being increasingly called into question by the member states. Debates on its budget for the next period are likely to be stormy, as Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Cretu recently remarked (see EUROPE 11626).
One of the fears of the regions is over financial instruments with the advent of the “Juncker plan”. At this time of budgetary restrictions, there is clearly competition between the European fund for strategic investments (EFSI) and the cohesion funds, as well as a lack of communication between the European Commission’s directorates general when there should be real synergy and cooperation, stated Nicolas Brookes, CPMR Director with responsibility for regional policy. Consequently, the CPMR urges the Commission to develop a long-term European strategy for investment combining the joint strengths of cohesion policy and the EFSI.
The CPMR also stresses the importance of ex-ante conditionalities which are crucial to link regional strategies with EU priorities, for example, through smart specialisation strategies. These strategies, the CPMR says, have been successful and full use of them has been made by the regions.
An issue that remains to be decided is the differentiation of treatment with regard to auditing and monitoring the use of structural and investment funding, an option that appears currently to be favoured by the Commission (see EUROPE 11626). Brittany and the Dutch regions have spoken out against this development, the former out of solidarity among the regions and the latter not being keen to see any asymmetric treatment of the regions. The CPMR will define its position in the coming months.
It is worth noting that no mention was made of new indicators other than GDP, when the Commission is investigating this option for the future of the policy (see EUROPE 11641). “That would be opening a Pandora’s box. New indicators means a new deal of the cards for the regions – and that means winners and losers”, commented a source. “Cohesion policy really doesn’t need this kind of debate right now”, the source added.
The CPMR will flesh out its strategy in the coming months, notably at the meeting of its political bureau in March 2017 and at the forum on the future of cohesion policy in June. In the course of that same month, the organisation is due to meet national ministers at the General Affairs Council. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)