Brussels, 10/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is encouraging the accession countries to begin preparing structural funds and cohesion fund programmes as soon as possible so that they may be launched by the date of accession. In order to "prevent funds from the cohesion policy remaining in Brussels", programming must be carried out sufficiently early and "programmes must be precise and operational, with clear priorities and specific measures", European Commissioner Michel Barnier said on Wednesday during the annual meeting of those in charge of the instrument for structural policies for pre-accession, ISPA. This instrument will be replaced, from membership onwards, by structural funds and the cohesion fund. The programming period for the EUR 21.7 billion in cohesion aid granted to the new Member States will be "short, only just three years", from 2004 to 2006, he recalled. This is why the Commission hopes to conclude negotiation of programming documents for this period before the end of the year.
The first step is under the responsibility of the candidate countries themselves, which must present a report on their regional development and priorities for the future in a "national development plan". Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have already done so, and the Hungarian programme is expected soon, Commission circles say. After this, the Commission will negotiate with the different countries regarding operational programmes and single programming documents. Accession countries must also complete preparations for administering the funds, warned Commissioner Barnier. In July, the Commission will adopt a follow-up report. In October, it will meet the relevant ministers of the accession countries in a conference. "It is all the more important that this initial programming should be successful as its results, both positive and negative, will have a major effect on negotiations over the coming period, and on the place that the cohesion policy will fill in the new Europe that we are shaping today", Michel Barnier underlined in his address to decision-makers from accession countries.
In his speech, Commissioner Barnier recalled that Romania and Bulgaria will benefit from aid that is "significantly increased between 2004 and 2006", but that, as they are not part of the 1 May 2004 wave of accessions, they will "have a few more years in which to prepare for it".