Several Member States would like to change the management of the Social Climate Fund from direct to shared management, according to our information gathered on Monday 31 January.
Member States discussed the issue during a working meeting of the ad hoc group on the Social Climate Fund on Monday 24 January, with the help of a framework document from the French Presidency of the EU Council outlining the main differences between the two management methods.
Spain, Poland, Hungary, Greece and Romania would be among the Member States that would support a shared management approach (similar to the cohesion policy), while the others would still be analysing the European Commission’s proposal (see EUROPE 12792/6).
But “a majority will soon be formed” in favour of shared management, a source assured us. A further working meeting is scheduled for 14 February. The aim of shared management is to provide more flexibility in preparation and implementation for the Member States, which should co-finance 50% of the Fund’s investments, according to the European Commission’s proposal.
The issue of differentiated co-financing is expected to be put on hold for the time being. The budget advisors will address this last issue, we were told, in connection with the Multiannual Financial Framework and own resources.
The EU Council adopted a block negotiation method, similar to the one used for the Common Provisions Regulation between the European Structural and Investment Funds (see EUROPE 12852/19).
In the European Parliament, the EPP co-rapporteurs, David Casa (Malta) and Esther de Lange (Netherlands), propose differentiated co-financing and a reorganisation of the earmarking of investments (see EUROPE 12871/12). The text will be presented on 10 February at a joint meeting of the Committees on Environment (ENVI) and on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)