CoR Rapporteur on the Future of Cohesion Policy beyond 2020, Michael Schneider met with several representatives of the European regional offices and associations in Brussels today, to discuss his opinion's key proposals. The opinion is scheduled for adoption by the European Committee of the Regions in May 2017 and several interested parties can bring in their views towards the finalisation of the paper.
EPP-CoR President Schneider believes that, like all EU policies, Cohesion Policy must contribute to the key EU objectives as mandated by the Treaties. Conversely, other EU policies must also make a contribution into achieving the Cohesion Policy Treaty objectives set out in the Treaties:
Building on the experiences from the previous funding periods, it is necessary to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the current Cohesion Policy and to identify ways to increase its effectiveness. Fulfilling the Treaty obligations and focusing on the long-term strategic objectives of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth are both of key importance in this connection.
Several stakeholders called for strengthening the capacity-building support as well as less bureaucratic regulations in the upcoming period. Rapporteur Schneider shared the concerns raised by many that it should up to the managing authorities at regional or local level to make use of financial instruments in the next programming period, on a voluntary basis. Participants also agreed that a balance between strengthening the urban and rural areas is necessary to committing to truly cohesive EU.
Before the meeting, Rapporteur Schneider presented a list of 9 questions, which EU regions and cities may wish to answer to provide their input to the final opinion of the CoR which is believed to influence the discussions on the topic in the other EU institutions:
- Which strategic reference framework does cohesion policy need beyond 2020?
- In future, how can the benefits of planning certainty for cohesion policy be combined with the need for more flexibility and adaptability?
- How can the interaction of cohesion policy as a horizontal policy working with other EU policies be strengthened?
- Which criteria and indicators most accurately represent the objectives and results of cohesion policy?
- How could the European added value of cohesion policy be defined in a generally applicable way?
- How can cohesion policy's partnership-based approach be further developed?
- How can the European Structural and Investment Funds and the various national rules be synchronised?
- How should the different financing modes and financial instruments of cohesion policy relate to each other in future?
- What new ideas are there for simplifying administration and cutting red tape?
