In a policy paper containing 14 proposals published on Thursday 15 June, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) calls for a single regulatory framework to be set in place for the future cohesion policy after 2020.
By replacing the five current regulations in place for the five different European funds, it would be possible to simplify cohesion policy, especially for the local and regional authorities, CEMR says. Here, the organisation advocates the creation of a “one stop shop”.
There may be political support for such an opinion within the Commission with the EU commissioner for regional policy, Corina Cretu, who had confirmed to EUROPE that she hoped a single regulation would be adopted – despite internal reticence expressed by a number of other directorates-general (see EUROPE 11782).
The CEMR has made numerous recommendations which overlap with several points put forward by the European Parliament (see EUROPE 11807) or the Committee of the Regions (see EUROPE 11787). To begin with, cohesion policy could have a budget in line with EU objectives looking forward to 2030 (especially the Paris Agreement and the Habitat III agenda).
Furthermore, the organisation advocates: - the possibility of adapting thematic priorities to meet local needs; - making the principle of partnership binding; - setting in place an instrument to strengthen capacities while going further than the technical aid measures currently in place, thus giving true backing to the authorities responsible for implementing structural and investment funds.
The CEMR does not stop there. It goes on to propose: - simplification of the indicators used in the context of granting criteria, which would be proportional to the financial amount allocated; - greater simplification of rules relating to state aid; - differentiation of audits and inspections depending on estimated risks, on the basis of reports from the European Court of Auditors; - and maintaining the primacy of subsidies over financial instruments.
It is of interest to note that the CEMR does not seem to be openly opposed to the macro-economic conditions, unlike the European Parliament for example. The organisation recommends that measures taken in the context of the “European Semester” budgetary process and having a potential impact at the local and regional level should be taken in line with the partnership principle.
A powerful message is therefore being sent to the European Commission, as it reflects upon and prepares a proposal for the end of the year.
The Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR) is, for its part, expected to adopt its position on 22 June. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)