Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Roadmap to recovery: the cohesion package

Danuta HübnerDanuta Hübner Commissioner for Regional Policy

Brussels,27 November 2008

Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Role of Cohesion Policy in the current financial crises

• 347 billion euro for the 2007-2013 period investing in the real economy

• Important role in restoring confidence by supporting priority infrastructure, business capacity and human potential

• Powerful instrument for stability

Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Mobilisation of Cohesion Policy resources: the legislative package

1) Increase in advances for programmes adding EUR 6.25 billion cash flow to Member States

Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Mobilisation of Cohesion Policy resources: the legislative package

2) Accelerate intermediate payments to major projects

3) Accelerate support for SMEs through state aid schemes

4) Simplifying eligibility of expenditure

5) Facilitating the management of financial engineering instruments

Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Accelerate implementation by maximising existing tools

• Increasing the capacity of JASPERS to accelerate implementation of major projects

• Promoting entrepreneurship (JEREMIE, micro-credits)

• Enhancing co-operation with the EIB and EIF

• Adapting programmes to focus more on areas with growth potential

• Simplifying the delivery mechanism

Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

New initiatives

• Extending the final eligibility date in programmes under the 2000-2006 period

• Enlarging the scope of actions in energy efficiency and renewable energies in housing (next week)

• 16 Dec communication on “Cohesion Policy investing in the real economy” will provide concrete recommendations

Regional Policy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Conclusions

1. Maintaining our agreed priorities while optimising the resources

2. Legislative changes to be adopted by the Council and the EP without delay

3. Simplification effort to be pursued