1. Spanish Presidency: Priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy
Vicente Rodríguez
BRUSSELS 28 JANUARY 2010

2. Spanish priorities: I. Legislative issues II. Strategic reporting
III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
IV. Other events

3. I. Legislative issues
Regulation amending ERDF Regulation (COMM) 1080/2006
Different speeds:
At the Council:
adoption of a common position +
signature of ERDF statement signed by the COMM and MS except Germany, Hungary and Czech Republic.
At the EP:
Inter-institutional agreement on Comitology under the Lisbon Treaty, already agreed by the COMM and the Council, needs still to be adopted by the EP. 3
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

4. I. Legislative issues
Council Regulation amending General Regulation (COMM)1083/2006
Different speeds:
At the Council: agreement reached the 20th November at COREPER
At the EP:
Announced during the Plenary session, January
04/02, Conference of Committee Chairs will decide on REGI/EMPL matters
International Fund for Ireland
Need of changing the legal basis
At SAWP, 15th February 4
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

5. II. Strategic Reporting
According to arts.29 and 30 of Regulation 1083/2006
The COMM will publish its Strategic Report
It should be delivered by the 1st of April.
It will be based on reports presented by all MS on the contribution of EU Funds to the achievement of their objectives and functions, as well as to priorities of strategic guidelines, issued at the beginning of the period.
Spanish Presidency priorities from April 2010
Following art.30.2, the COMM shall submit its strategic report to the Council as well as to other institutions in order to have a debate on it.
At Council level, the debate will take place at SAWP, COREPER and CAG. 5
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

6. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Informal Ministerial Meeting on Regional Policy, 19 February, Zaragoza
Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE 2010), High Level Conference, March, Granada
Coordination Committee of Funds, 27 and 28 May, Barcelona
Events related to European Social Fund 6
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

7. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Informal Ministerial Meeting on Regional Policy
When: 19 February
Venue: Zaragoza, (region of Aragón)
25 January, High Level Group: Director General meeting
Presentation of how DG EMPL, DG AGRI, DG MARE and DG TREN are working on the future of Cohesion Policy;
Presentation of EU2020 outcomes;
Discussion on Samecki’s Orientation paper. 7
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

8. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Informal Ministerial Meeting on Regional Policy
Main issues to be tackled:
The future of Cohesion Policy;
Territorial Cohesion;
Key messages for the simplification of Cohesion Policy for the new programming period.
- Result of the Informal Meeting: Summary of discussions to be published after the meeting. 8
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

9. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE2010), March, Granada.
High level conference organised by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, together with the COMM.
High level forum for discussion of stakeholder’s good practices and ideas on how to make the best of European, National and Regional funding for R&D and Innovation.
Objective: to move from “synergies of policies” to “synergies of actions” for the optimal use of existing EU instruments in order to make regions full protagonists in building the knowledge-based society. 9
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

10. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE2010), March, Granada.
WIRE 2010 is the result of merging 3 conferences
Conference on the efficient and effective use of budget earmarked in Structural Funds for RTD and Innovation, including their synergies with the 7th Framework Programme (FP7), and the Competitiveness Innovation Programme (CIP).
“Research potential” Conference, focused on the assessment of results and the identification of best practices of the Research Potential Programme (REGPOT) within the FP7 Capacities programme.
Regions of knowledge Conference, which deals with the assessment of the results and the identification of best practices of Regions of Knowledge (REGIONS) within the FP7 Capacities programme. 10
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

11. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE2010), March, Granada.
Main topics to be discussed:
Aggregation of good practices found in the development of the 2 programmes Research Potential Programme (REGPOT) and Regions of Knowledge (REGIONS) within the Seven Framework Programme (FP7), as well as in Structural Funds.
Synergies between the different innovation instruments, including those of Structural Funds.
For further information: 11
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

12. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Meeting of the Coordination Committee of Funds
When: 27 and 28 May
Venue: Barcelona
Main issues to be discussed:
Exchange of views on the progress implementation of the Regional Policy measures for the Economic Recovery at national level
Sites visits 12
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

13. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
Events related to ESF
Different Conferences in Spain on:
EU2020
Employment
Health and Safety at work
Equality
Social Security
Social Protection
Activities of the ESF Committee Ad-hoc group on the future of the ESF 13
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

14. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
European Social Fund Committee
ESF Committee Ad-hoc Group on the future of the ESF
Created by the ESF Committee to discuss the future of the ESF with a view to making a contribution to the future orientations of the ESF.
Mandate: to prepare a draft opinion on the future of the ESF taking particular account of the following themes:
Future objectives and priorities of the ESF
Future scope of the ESF (policy fields, innovation, trans-nationality)
Geographical coverage and added value
Delivery modes and instruments
Complementarity between the ESF and other relevant EU instruments 14
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

15. III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy
European Social Fund Committee
Events under the Spanish Presidency
Evaluation Group, 16 March, Sevilla.
Technical Group of the ESF Committee meeting, March, Sevilla
(The Ad hoc Group will present an interim report to the ESF Committee)
ESF Committee, 19 March, Sevilla
ESF Committee Ad-hoc Group on the future of the ESF, June.
- Previous meetings: December’09, January’10
- The Ad hoc Group will present the final draft report and opinion to the ESF Committee 15
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

16. IV. Other Events
Informal Ministerial Meeting on Territorial Governance, March, Málaga. (Ministry of Territorial Policy)
General Directors Meeting on Territorial Agenda and its Action Plan, 10 and 11 May, Sevilla. (Ministry of Environment)
Forum on Outermost regions, 27 and 28 May, Brussels. Organised by the Commission together with the Spanish Presidency.
Informal Ministerial Meeting on Housing and Urban development, 21 and 22 June, Toledo. (Ministry of Housing)
- Director General Meetings:
Madrid, 27 April: DG Meeting (Housing)
Madrid, 28 April: DG Meeting (Urban Development) 16
Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

17. Thank you for your attention.