Despite the wide support for complementarity and blending between the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and the European structural and investment funds (ESIF), questions still remain about how the synergies will work on the ground. Today's conference Europe as an Investment Destination was therefore particularly timely according to Wim van de Donk, King’s Commissioner of the Province of North Brabant and the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions' shadow rapporteur on the Investment Plan for Europe. Addressing participants at the conference, hosted by the European Political Strategy Centre today, he painted a positive picture of his investment experience so far and underlined that "the Juncker Plan is at the heart of what the EU is about".
Europe's regions and cities need to be built on regionomics, according to Wim van de Donk. By this, he promotes an inclusive and connected economy, where governments, research institutions and entrepreneurs invest together in an ecosystem of innovation and development. The Investment Plan for Europe clearly fits into this definition. "Our experience is that successful strategies that foster economic growth and innovation seem to blossom especially at a regional level. This is the level that is especially successful in enabling effective cooperation, practical proximities and mutual trust" he said.
The EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions also underlines that EFSI should target projects with a higher risk-return profile than existing instruments to provide an added value. The applications to be submitted by the twelve Dutch regions towards the end of the year are in line with this principle. Moreover, the Brabant Province is working on the establishment of an SME fund, with the help of EFSI, and a study to establish a direct train connection between the city of Eindhoven and Düsseldorf.