In a draft opinion for the employment and social affairs committee (EMPL) of the European Parliament, Agnes Jongerius (S&D, NL) proposes to considerably boost the future budget of cohesion policy to increase it to €372 billion in 2018 constant prices (compared with €330 billion in the Commission proposal), i.e. €419 billion in current prices.
In addition, Jongerius proposes that the European rate of co-financing should be greatly increased for the least developed regions, from 70% in the Commission proposal to 82.5% - slightly short of the current rate. It would be the same for the funding rate for regions in transition, that she would like to fix at 60% (compared with 55% in the Commission proposal). Jongerius’ thinking is thus along the same lines as that of the co-rapporteurs of the regional development committee (REGI) (see EUROPE 12097).
Furthermore, Jongerius suggests that the budgetary allocation from the European Social Fund (ESF+) should be increased to 30% of the total budget of cohesion policy. Generally speaking, the Social-Democrat underlines that the programmes supported by the structural and investment funds should take better account of the social scoreboard in the “European Semester” budgetary process, in relation to the European core of social rights.
The draft opinion will be discussed in EMPL committee on Monday 24 September. The timetable is tight with the vote in REGI committee being scheduled for 22 November. (Pascal Hansens)