The Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development (REGI), Younous Omarjee (GUE/NGL, France), sent a letter, seen by EUROPE on Wednesday 20 May, to Commissioner Elisa Ferreira (Cohesion and Reforms) and to Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis to significantly increase the ambitions of Cohesion policy in view of the proposals on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the Recovery Fund.
“We expect the next MFF budget for cohesion to be bigger than that under the 2014-2020 MFF. This appeal is based on the conviction that Cohesion policy has to be at the centre of the EU recovery plan to overcome the worst crisis we had in decades”, the letter reads.
The Chair of the REGI Committee also expects guarantees from the Commission that Cohesion policy allocations for the next period will not be reallocated to the crisis response. For the REGI Committee, there must be a strong link between Cohesion policy and the Recovery Fund, the latter having to provide a supplementary budget to Cohesion policy on a grant basis, it says. The lending possibilities of the Recovery Fund should be open to all countries and regions “proportionately to their needs, and in due consideration of Cohesion principles”, the letter says.
The Chair also calls for greater simplification and transparency with regard to the financial mechanisms linked to Cohesion policy, “while recalling at the same time that Cohesion policy cannot be treated simply as a tool through which other funds and instruments are increased and channelled”, in a thinly veiled reference to the mode of action of the Just Transition Fund (see EUROPE 12485/12). In this context, he insists that the very great flexibilities (see EUROPE 12469/5) provided for in the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII and CRII+) remain temporary.
In addition, the Chair of the REGI Committee once again called for the transition between the 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 programming periods to be as “smooth” as possible, stressing that it must be possible to continue the programmes that have been set up at national or regional level in 2020.
Mr Omarjee called for the Commission to “actively” involve the European Parliament through the ordinary legislative procedure, whether for the next MFF, the Recovery Fund or any amendments to the structural and investment funds. Finally, the MEP stressed the need for better communication with citizens, local authorities and SMEs regarding the role of Cohesion policy in the EU's recovery policy.
The European Commission is likely to present the MFF and the Recovery Fund on Wednesday 27 May (see EUROPE 12490/29). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)