1. EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 Proposals from the European Commission

2. Legislative package The General Regulation
Common provisions for cohesion policy, the rural development policy and the maritime and fisheries policy
Common provisions for cohesion policy only (ERDF, CF, ESF)
Fund specific regulations
ERDF regulation
CF regulation
ESF regulation
ETC regulation
EGTC regulation

3. Content of General Regulation
Cohesion policy provisions
Mission and objectives
Geographical eligibility
Financial resources
Major projects and joint action plans
Monitoring and evaluation
Information and communication
Co-financing rates
Management and control systems
Financial management
Financial corrections
Common provisions
Principles of Union support
Thematic objectives
Common Strategic Framework
Partnership Contract
Operational Programmes
Conditionality and performance
Local development
Financial instruments
Monitoring, reporting, evaluation
Eligibility of expenditure
Management and control systems

4. Objectives and Budget
Primary objective of EU cohesion policy: to reduce the significant economic, social and territorial disparities between Europe's regions
Cohesion policy: key role in delivering the Europe 2020 objectives
Proposed budget for Cohesion Policy: 376 Billion €

5. Budget for Cohesion Policy post 2013
billion EUR (2011 prices)
Cohesion Fund*
68.7
Less developed regions
162.6
Transition regions
39.0
More developed regions
53.1
Territorial Cooperation
11.7
Extra allocation for outermost and northern regions
0.9
TOTAL
336.0
Connecting Europe facility for transport, energy and ICT
40.0
376.0
* Cohesion Fund will ringfence 10 billion EUR for the new Connecting Europe Facility

6. Financial Framework Reinforcing a fair system for all EU regions
Three categories of regions:
Less developed regions (GDP per capita < 75% of EU average)
Transition regions (GDP per capita between 75% and 90%)
More developed regions (GDP per capita > 90%)
Why a new category for transition regions?
Simpler and fairer system
Helps these regions to soften the transition between less and more developed regions

8. Principles of Union Support

9. Common Principles for all Funds (1)
Strengthening partnership and multi-level governance
Introduction of a binding European Code of conduct
Sets out objectives and criteria to support the implementation of partnerships
Facilitates sharing of information and good practices among Member States
Compliance with Union and national law

10. Common Principles for all Funds (2)
Reinforcement of gender equality and non-discrimination:
Horizontal principle of the regulations
Specific actions in OPs, covered by ex-ante evaluation
Opinion of the national equal oportunities’ body on the OPs
Project selection
Followed up in reporting
Promoting sustainable development
Tracking of expenditure for climate change objectives

11. Strengthening the Strategic Approach
Adoption of Operational Programmes
Partnership contract:
- Ex-ante conditionalities
- Performance framework
Common Strategic Framework – Key actions for Thematic objectives derived from Europe 2020

12. Thematic Objectives to Deliver Europe 2020
Strengthening research, technological development and innovation
Enhancing access to, and use and quality of, information and communication technologies
Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, the agricultural sector (for the EAFRD) and the fisheries and aquaculture sector (for the EMFF)
Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors
Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management
Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency
Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures
Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public administration

13. Common Strategic Framework
Sets a comprehensive investment strategy for all the funds, including rural development and maritime and fisheries policies
Translates the targets and objectives of Europe 2020 into key actions for Member States and regions
Ensures better coherence and consistency with the National Reform Programmes

14. Partnership Contract
Results from negotiation between the Commission and Member State on:
Thematic objectives to address the priorities/targets established in Europe 2020
Specific objectives and corresponding indicators that translate Europe 2020 priorities in a national and/or regional context
An integrated approach for territorial development supported by the Cohesion Policy Funds, the EAFRD and the EMFF
Arrangements for effective implementation: ex-ante conditionalities, partnerships, performance framework
Arrangements for efficient implementation: administrative capacity, administrative burden reduction

15. Thematic Concentration for Less Developed Regions
At least 50% of ERDF at national level to be allocated to:
Energy efficiency and renewables (at least 6% of total)
Innovation
SME support
At least 25% of the Structural Funds to be allocated to the ESF
60% of the ESF allocation to each OP to be concentrated on up to 4 investment priorities

16. Thematic Concentration for Transition & More Developed Regions
At least 80% of ERDF resources at national level to be allocated to:
Energy efficiency and renewables (at least 20% of total)
Innovation
SME support
Minimum ESF shares established for each category of regions:
40% for transition regions
52% for more developed regions
70% for transition regions and 80% for more developed regions of the ESF allocation to each OP to be concentrated on up to 4 investment priorities

17. Reinforcing Effectiveness and Performance
Ex-ante conditionality
Conditions prior to submission of Partnership Contracts and OPs
Directly related to the thematic objectives
Specified criteria for fulfillment
Reinforced macroeconomic conditionality for the Funds
Closer and gradual link between cohesion policy and the economic governance of the Union
Decisions on suspensions – proportionate, effective and should respect equality of treatment between Member States

18. Performance framework
Sets out milestones/indicators for performance of programmes
Focuses on the achievement of Europe 2020 objectives
A performance reserve of 5% - allocated depending on progress on the milestones
If unsatisfactory performance - warning, reprogramming of resources, or suspension of funds

19. Reinforcing Integrated Programming
Integrated programme approach
Possibility for Member States to prepare and implement multifund programmes combining ERDF, ESF and the Cohesion Fund
Introduction of Joint Action Plans
Represent an extension of the current system of simplified costs
Can create significant savings in the management and control costs enabling beneficiaries to focus on delivering results

20. Strengthening Territorial Cohesion
Integrated approach to community-led local development
Facilitates integrated investment by small communities including local authorities, NGOs, and economic and social partners
Integrated local development strategies
Local action groups to design and implement these strategies
Integrated territorial investments
Investments under 1 or more Operational Programmes can take the form of integrated territorial investments
Requires urban development strategy or other territorial strategies or pacts

21. Reinforcing Territorial Cohesion
Focus on sustainable urban development
At least 5% of the ERDF resources to be allocated to integrated actions for sustainable urban development
Creation of an urban development platform
To promote capacity-building and networking between cities and exchange of experience on urban policy at EU level
Adoption of a list of cities to participate in the platform
Support for innovative actions in the field of sustainable urban development - Subject to a ceiling of 0,2% of the annual funding
Particular attention to areas with specific natural or demographic features
Specific additional allocation for the outermost regions and sparsely populated regions
For the outermost regions, at least 50% of this allocation to focus on actions contributing to the diversification and modernisation of their economies, with particular focus on research and innovation, information and communication technologies and SMEs competitiveness

22. Financial Instruments – Simplification and Clarification
Financial instruments will remain similar to those in the period
Innovations for the period :
Clarification of implementation rules
Reinforcement of legal certainty
Extension of the scope of financial instruments
Simplification of access to JEREMIE, JESSICA and JASMINE

23. Monitoring and Evaluation

24. A Stronger Focus on Results: Indicators
Fund Specific Common Indicators
Fund specific common output and some result indicators with common definitions
Fund specific rules on baselines, targets and cumulative (or not) reporting
Programme Specific Indicators
Outputs where not covered by common indicators
Result indicators related to the priority or sub-priority

25. A Stronger Focus on Results: Monitoring & Reporting
Lighter Annual Reporting in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021
More strategic reporting in other years
Admissibility of AIR depending on provision of data
Stronger role of monitoring committee in reviewing performance and results of evaluation
Provisions on data collection

26. A Stronger Focus on Results: Evaluation
Ex-ante evaluation:
Justification for selected thematic objectives contributing to EU2020 & consistency, relevance and realism of indicators, targets & financial allocations
Monitoring and evaluation capacities and appropriate data collection arrangements
Milestones for performance framework

27. A Stronger Focus on Results: Evaluation
Evaluation during the programming period:
Evaluation plan obligatory – to be adopted by first Monitoring Committee
More evaluation of the effects of interventions (impact)
Implementation evaluations when necessary
Synthesis report of evaluations by MS in 2020
Ex-post evaluation by the Commission

28. Financial Support from the Funds Streamlined Delivery System
Review of the rules on revenue generation
Introduction of a flat rate approach
Reduction in administrative effort needed
Harmonisation of rules on eligibility and durability
Clear rules for simplified costs and flat rates
Introduction of some rates and unit costs established at EU level

29. Financial Support from the Funds Streamlined Delivery System
Measures proposed to improve the funding absorption level:
To fix at 2,5% of GNI the capping rates for cohesion allocations;
Co-financing rate ceilings
75-85% in less developed regions and outermost regions;
60% in transition regions
50% in more developed regions
To include certain conditions in the Partnership Contracts regarding the improvement of administrative capacity

30. Streamlining Management and Control
Closure - annual rolling closure of completed projects or expenditure
Proportional approach to the ex-ante review of management and control systems
Exemptions for
Operational Programmes of low financial volume
Management and control systems that have delivered consistently good results during the previous programming period

31. Streamlining Management and Control
A move towards E-cohesion
One stop shop for beneficiaries
Significant reduction of administrative burden for beneficiaries and lower costs for national and regional administrations
Reduction of layers of control & duplication of controls
Possibility for Member States to designate Managing Authorities, which may act as Certifying Authorities

32. Timeline
November-December 2011: Communication from the Commission – Common Strategic Framework
January 2012: Public consultation on Communication
June 2012: Commission document on Common Strategic Framework
: Adoption of new legislative package and agreement on new budget post 2013
2014: Entry into force and adoption of programmes