While EPP MEPs on the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) welcome the recent measures presented by the European Commission in the framework of cohesion policy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic (see EUROPE 12460/3, 12449/2), in a document adopted on Wednesday 8 April on the initiative of Bulgarian Andrey Novakov, they request that it should go even further and present "as soon as possible" another package of measures guaranteeing even more flexibility in the use of structural and investment funds.
EPP MEPs are thus proposing a series of actions under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework, starting with the creation of an "cohesion emergency reserve" under the structural and investment funds, funded by unused pre-financing and 50% of annual decommitments, under a revised N+4 decommitment rule.
MEPs also call for the European Commission to present transitional proposals for all structural and investment funds pending an agreement on EU funds for the next multiannual financial framework, suggestions which until recently were not entirely to the liking of the European Commissioner for Cohesion, Elisa Ferreira (see EUROPE 12432/10).
In addition, in view of the next budget cycle and the new proposals that the European Commission is expected to present by the end of April, MEPs suggest that all current and future proposals with a budgetary impact on the next MFF should be rethought, in order to ensure the necessary flexibility in the event of similar health crises. As a result, the adoption of all the funds in the new policy framework ought to be postponed for one year, they say.
They also call for an increase in pre-financing in cases of force majeure, including financial, economic and social crises, as well as for periods of recovery. Finally, for allocations under the 'Investment for Growth and Employment' objective, they consider that they should be recalculated at 2019 prices.
To consult the proposals: https://bit.ly/2wnV4za (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)