Regional Policy EU Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020

Regional Policy Why change? Cohesion Policy has been changing already for a long time! ✦ EU has been changing: enlargement – political issues ✦ EC has been changing: policies – EMU – Lisbon – EU2020 ✦ Regional Policy becoming more central ✦ Economic context has been changing: Financial + economy crises So the funds must evolve ✦ Instrument to bring about EU2020 ✦ Social context: need for more accountability to citizens ✦ Financial context: less money, so more efficiency needed

Regional Policy What will change? Focus on impact and results ✦ Reinforced strategic programming: common strategic framework // partnership agreement // menu of thematic objectives in line with EU2020 Performance framework ✦ Ex-ante conditionality: to ensure conditions for effective investment ✦ Performance reserve:5 % of national allocations (by Member State, fund and category of region) ✦ Macro-economic conditionality: Alignment with new economic governance ✦ Increase use of financial instruments Thematic concentration

Regional Policy So it is not business as usual… Strong processes must be put in place to prepare

Regional Policy Designing the Partnership Agreement Assessing development potential and capacity Assessing challenges faced by region, bottlenecks, gaps Assessing context of Macro-region Cross-borders Cross-sectors Cross-juridictions Assessing coordination needs across territories and funding sources Develop result indicators reflecting programmes objectives

Regional Policy Thematic Objectives to Deliver Europe Strengthening research, technological development and innovation 2.Enhancing access to, and use and quality of, information and communication technologies 3.Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, the agricultural sector (for the EAFRD) and the fisheries and aquaculture sector (for the EMFF) 4.Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors 5.Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management 6.Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency 7.Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures 8.Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility 9.Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty 10.Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning 11.Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public administration

Regional Policy Consider the new tools for an integrated approach 1.Community-led local development o (delegation to local partnership) 2.Integrated territorial investments o (group of projects for a functionjal region) 3.Integrated operations o (one operation – several funds) 4.Joint action plans o (group of projects by one beneficiary – results commitment)

Regional Policy Less developed regions More developed & transitional regions Flexibility – different regions have different needs Special arrangements for ex-convergence regions Research & innovationEnergy efficiency & renewable energyCompetitiveness of SMEs Concentration of ERDF investments

Regional Policy Negotiations: current situation Council: First significant milestone reached: six blocks of the legislative package have been basically agreed: strategic programming - ex-ante conditionalities - management and control systems - monitoring and evaluation - proportionate control - major projects "nothing is decided until everything is decided"! Remaining blocks June meeting of General Affairs Council: thematic concentration – financial engineering – revenue generating projects – financial management European Parliament: Vote on draft report in June (REGI committee) and final vote is expected on first reading in plenary in September 2012

Regional Policy Commission position paper  Prepared by Commission  Qualitative guidance to MS  Sent to MS during summer  Base for informal discussions in autumn  Contain thematic elements  & Horizontal elements: coordination – capacity – administrative – ict – principles (gender equality/equal opportunities/etc)

Regional Policy Timeline March 2012: Commission proposal for Common Strategic Framework (Staff working document) Autumn 2012: Dialogue between COM and MS on draft Partnership Agreement and Operational Programmes End 2012-Beginning 2013: Adoption of MFF, legislative package, CSF (by delegated act) Negotiations on PA + 6 months: MS to transmit Partnership Agreements and programmes (incl. ex-ante evaluations); COM to make observations within 3 months, adoption within 6 months; PA to be adopted before OPs + 9 months: ETC programmes to be submitted to COM PAs can already be adopted before 2014

Regional Policy For more information InfoRegio: ec.europa.eu/inforegio ec.europa.eu/inforegio RegioNetwork: