Brussels, 16/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - "Confident but vigilant", the European Commission warns the ten accession countries that there is still "a lot to be done" to prepare for managing the important inflow of Community structural funds after 1 January 2004. From 2004 to 2006, these ten countries will receive in all EUR 22 billion, that is the triple, annually, of what they currently receive in the way of pre-accession aid. Commissioners responsible for regional policy and enlargement, Michel Barnier and Günter Verheugen, presented a report to the press on Wednesday, taking stock of the country-by-country capacity of regional administrations to manage such large financial flows. Commissioner Barnier specified that Cyprus, Malta, the Czech Republic and Estonia are the most advanced, whereas Latvia and Slovakia are dragging behind. The Commission is more concerned about the latter two countries than for the others, and it will therefore set closer monitoring in place, the Commissioner said. Commissioner Verheugen insisted for his part that the times allowed are extremely short, and stressed: "there is no room for delays, as the projects are eligible from January 2004".
The accession countries must above all step up their effort with regards "legislative approximation and management structures", Commissioner Verheugen said. The report underlines the following areas: legislation on calls for tenders, organisation of regional administrations, interministerial coordination, accounting systems, independent control, and preparation of programmes and projects.
The document comes in addition to the general reports on the preparation of candidate countries to accession in all fields, the third version of which is expected for early November. Commissioner Barnier will be meeting the ministers of the candidate countries responsible for regional policy early October.