In a resolution adopted on Thursday 16 February, the European Parliament asks the European Commission to ensure better targeting of communication on the Structural Investment Funds (SFI) by focussing not solely on expenditure and accounting, but also on outcomes and value-added.
An own-initiative report by Lambert van Nistelrooij (EPP, the Netherlands) was adopted by a comfortable majority (493 to 53 with 40 abstentions) without amendments. It addresses a number of key points of Cohesion Policy, such as thematic concentration, ex ante conditions, performance-based budgetisation, the European Semester, simplification, administrative capabilities, European territorial cooperation, multi-level governance and partnership and the future of the Cohesion Policy.
Future of the Cohesion Policy. On the latter question, the MEPs feel that GDP should not be the only indicator used for dividing up funding – a question that Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Crețu is considering (see EUROPE 11641). In this connection, the MEPs say that the future Cohesion Policy should be based on performance-related data and indicators.
Another important point is that MEPs are calling for the negotiation process for the Multiannual Financial Framework to be completed at the end of 2018, so that the regulatory framework for the future Cohesion Policy can be rapidly adopted and come into force by 1 February 2021. The aim here is to avoid delays in implementing the 2014-2020 period, something that comes in for regular criticism by MEPs and the regions (see EUROPE 11710). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)