Debate: Implementation of the - cohesion policy
Date: MONDAY, 7 MARCH 2022
Speaker: Elisa Ferreira
Language: EN

First, I will recall that lack of funding is not a problem at the moment, at the level of the different countries and regions, as they have to finish the 2014-2020 and/up to 2023. There is the CRII facility, there is the REACT-EU extra money that is being used and the quota of 2022 is not yet exhausted at all. And the Member States can also anticipate the support to programmes that will be absorbed later on in the 2021-2027 operational framework – so the partnership agreement – provided that the operational programmes accommodate these projects.  Nevertheless, I think we are all together in recognising the importance of speeding up the partnership agreements. We are convinced that in the first half of this year, we will formally receive from Member States most of the proposals of the partnership agreements for 2021-2027 and this is absolutely essential – with the exception of four countries that will only present them, that’s the information we have – in the second half of the year. On this capacity of cohesion policy, without jeopardising the purpose of the policy is to be able to give emergency support to the different problems that we are facing. We think and, in fact sharing your concerns, we think that we can do something with cohesion funds in support of those countries that are receiving the refugees from Ukraine. And in fact, we will, I hope, that tomorrow in the college, we will have a decision of the college in relation to the aspects that several of you have mentioned. So, the possibility to use REACT-EU funds to do it and for this, we don’t need the support of the two co-legislators.  Then, the prolongation of the 100% co-financing of CRII for an extra year and the possibility to use still available funds in the operational programmes with a line to support these refugees. For these two operations, we will need the support of this Parliament and the support of the Council because this requires a change in the CPR, as you know. We are really very happy to hear so many of you already stating, and in particular the Chair of the Committee on Regional Development, that we will have this support and, of course, being fast is as important as having funds. So, we are expecting this to be operational.  My other comment is in relation to certain Members that referred to the need to stop the dependence from Russia in relation to energy. There is a package that is being prepared by the Commission on exactly how to organise our work. Cohesion funds are supporting very much renewables, as we all know, and climate targets. Also, I think it’s important that we put in the possibility and the materialisation of our targets in relation to creating a true internal market for renewables that still doesn’t exist, and 15% has not been reached. In relation to other comments, yes, it is true that while we are putting pressure on Member States to speed up their presentation of programmes, we still want them to make quality programmes and that, in fact, as Mr Fernandes was mentioning, that it is important that the funds are directed to the regions that need it the most. But the quality of the vision that you have in terms of development has got to be there so that all the funds converge and in particular, and here I quote or I come back to what Mr Omarjee, among others, mentioned, that, in fact, it is not possible that the different instruments don’t have a kind of coherent vision of the country and of the development strategy for the different regions that integrated. And yes, of course, we want partnership principles, correction of asymmetries and compliance with the basic principles of the European Union to be there.  I would also like to make a clarification, in particular, it was  Lastly, yes, the Commission is assuming its responsibilities under this framework. We see a lot of progress in the presentation of the programmes. But yes, it is a joint responsibility partnership – that’s what it means, a partnership between the Member States and the Commission with a lot of support from all of you. And so I think the reinforcement of transparency, of accountability, of understanding and knowing who is the final beneficiary is among, as you know, our new legislation, as well as simplification.  So let’s see, if, in fact, what we are aiming at when we negotiated in trialogues – the new legislation, if we can deliver it in practice so that you have a full sharing of the purposes of the targets that we want to reach.  Yes, the cohesion policies will be there and it is, I think, one of the basic fundamental souls of Europe when it comes to principles and solidarity, which is as we know a very important principle of us together and we see it today more than ever.