Brussels, 02/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the European Commission allocated the additional sum of EUR 8.246 billion to European regional and social development programmes for the period 2000-2006. The sum, which corresponds to 4% of the total budget of Structural Funds for the 15 current EU Member States, comes from a performance-related reserve to be allocated in 2004 on the basis of the results of programmes. These resources will be used by Member States and the regions to give fresh impetus to investment, growth and to the creation of jobs.
Around 90% of the Structural Fund programmes receive an allocation from the performance reserve, but at varying degrees, that is, depending on the results achieved. Estimates were on results given the use of financing and sound and effective management. They were carried out in the context of close cooperation between Member States and the Commission and on the basis of agreed goals and indicators. For some programmes, considered the most successful, the increases vary between 6 and 9% of initial allocations.
The Commission proposes to review this experience in a detailed manner in order to draw lessons for the future, given above all the increased importance granted to results and quality proposed by the Commission in the context of the ambitious reform of European cohesion policy published last month.