Several sources have reported that the proposal for a 95% European co-financing rate for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to help rebuild regions struck by natural disasters, failed to obtain consensus during the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the EU (Coreper) on Wednesday 10 May.
The proposal was put forward during the inter-institutional negotiating session the beginning of May in an effort to obtain a compromise between the position of the member states, which would like a co-financing rate of 90% and the European Parliament (which shares the European Commission’s position), which wanted co-financing at 100% (see EUROPE 11782). The latter is sticking to its position and according to one diplomatic source that spoke to us, unanimity will be required at the Council.
Several member states, particularly the net contributors (Austria, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Denmark) reject the draft compromise setting the co-financing rates of the ERDF at 95%. France has a more flexible position and suggested a rate between 90 and 95%. Nonetheless, Paris did in fact reject the co-financing rate of 100%. In 2016, the centre of Italy was struck by an earthquake (see EUROPE 11671) and will therefore be the only member state that supports the Commission’s position.
Parliament's proposal to set out a 5% ceiling was also the subject of a debate, particularly at the Commission, where Commissioner Corina Creţu expressed her doubts during an interview with EUROPE (see EUROPE 11782). We were informed that the idea of out setting a 10% ceiling was mooted during the trialogue. No compromise has as yet been reached on this issue.
There is still no date for the next session of the inter-institution negotiations. European Parliament sources informed us that in these conditions, Parliament's vote planned for next week during the plenary session, has not been retained. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)