On Tuesday 25 May, MEPs in the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) adopted (35 votes in favour, 1 against, 6 abstentions) the draft report by Pascal Arimont (EPP, Belgium) on the Brexit adjustment reserve, substantially modifying the method of allocating the fund’s resources, which amount to 5 billion euros, to bring it into line with the position of the EU Council.
Thus, the final agreement provides for an eligibility period from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2023. This retroactivity was requested from the beginning by MEPs in order to take into account the measures taken by the European regions concerned in the run-up to Brexit (see EUROPE 12679/10).
Most importantly, MEPs substantially change the method of allocating the financial envelope (Compromise Amendment 16) by aligning their position with that adopted in the EU Council at the end of April (see EUROPE 12709/23). Thus, they remove the threshold of 0.06% of GDP set in the European Commission’s initial proposal for accessing the additional funds. They broadly follow the EU Council’s calculation methodology to better measure the impact of Brexit on the UK’s coastal and neighbouring regions.
The pre-allocation remains at 80%, but it is spread over time: 2 billion euros will be allocated in 2021 and 2 billion euros in 2022. The last billion euros will be in 2025.
The first inter-institutional negotiation is scheduled for 17 June.
EUROPE will report in more detail on the content of the agreement.
To view the Compromise Amendments: https://bit.ly/34gCkPr (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)