Brussels, 24/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - Greater flexibility in the use of structural funds - that is what Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner advocated when announcing the package of European Commission decisions giving member states greater flexibility in the use of funds allocated to them. This means that the deadline for member states to use allocations received from European funds for the period 2002-2006 has been extended by six months.
In a press release, the Commission specifies that, further to its invitation, member states have requested an extension to the eligibility period for funding for 385 of the 555 Cohesion Policy programmes in 2000-2006, where funds had not been fully utilised. The extended eligibility period concerns the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). This flexibility will enable member states and regions to implement and finalise more projects on the ground. The Commission is urging them to focus on “high-return” sectors and measures, such as investing in energy efficiency to create green jobs and save energy, and support for clean technologies to boost sectors like the constructive and automotive industries.
The Commission has also adopted measures to give member states and regions more flexibility in allocating funding for different priorities. Until now, managing authorities had a 2% margin, of flexibility if they wanted to transfer funding between the so-called priority axes. This margin of manoeuvre is increased to 10%, the Commission states.
Total funds allocated to member states for the budgetary period 2000-2006 amounted to €257 billion, of which €225 billion were paid out, i.e. 87.5% of the total. Member states can therefore now make payments for this period up to 30 June 2009. The deadline for Cohesion Fund payments from the 2000-2006 period is in most cases the end of 2010. (G.B./transl.jl)