The European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, and MEPs from the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development (REGI) shared the same concern about the delay in the programming of cohesion funds, during a discussion late on Tuesday 25 May.
“Unfortunately, there are delays in the 2021-2027 programmes, as member states have up till now been focused on their recovery and resilience plans”, the commissioner told MEPs, adding that she had raised the issue with cohesion policy ministers last week (see EUROPE 12721/19).
She also stressed the importance of including regional players in the Recovery and Resilience Facility. She went on to stress the principle of territorial ‘do no harm’, i.e. no investment made under the Recovery Plan should aggravate regional disparities. “I invite you to use your voice to send a similar message to your Member States”, she told MEPs.
Among the coordinators, the delay in programming was mentioned in particular by Andrey Novakov (EPP, Bulgaria), who asked whether the first adoptions of programmes under the cohesion policy could take place by the end of the year. Constanze Krehl (S&D, Germany) questioned the slow publication of the Common Provisions Regulation between the structural funds, which should be published at the end of June. Similarly, Raffaele Fitto (ECR, Italy) expressed concern that the attention of Member States is currently focused on the development of national plans for recovery and resilience.
The Commissioner acknowledged that the absorption rate of funds for the 2014-2020 budget cycle was still low (around 60%), but that disbursement could be made until 2023 (under the N+3 rule). The Commissioner also tried to offer reassurance to fears regarding disruption of financial flows, noting that many Member States have already applied for REACT-EU and the CRII and CRII+ investment initiatives in response to the coronavirus. In any case, “pressure is being put on the Member States”, she said.
On the Common Provisions Regulation, the Commissioner noted that the adoption process was particularly slow due to the translation of the annexes to the regulation. But, she said, Member States are already aware of the content of the regulation and can continue with the programming work.
Bauhaus
Another issue raised by several MEPs, including Constanze Krehl, Niklas Nienass (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Martina Michels (The Left, Germany) was the funding of the Bauhaus initiative. Here, the Commissioner urged MEPs to move beyond the traditional framework of the structural funds, insisting that the initiative was first and foremost a “movement” and a “symbolic” act of communication. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)