About: Corina Crețu
New cohesion policy is ‘as good as it gets’, Commission insists
The EU's new regional policy is a “balanced, simpler and ambitious” proposal, the best that could have ever been achieved under the current conditions, Commissioner Corina Crețu told Members of the European Parliament on Thursday (May 31).
Commission proposes more spending on Italy and south, less on Visegrad Four
The European Union's executive proposed on Tuesday (29 May) to spend more of the bloc's money on Italy and other southern states hit by the economic and migration crises, while giving less to the Visegrad Four countries refusing to accept refugees.
Romania squandering EU funding, Moldova deserves more, says EU regional boss
Romanian Commissioner Corina Creţu wants her country to take full advantage of the EU funding that is on offer and for Moldova to meet the bloc’s accession criteria in order to unlock even more financing.
Simplification still the main challenge for EU cohesion policy control
The European Commission will soon present its legislative proposal for the future EU cohesion policy, in the context of negotiations for a new long-term budget. But in order to define new financing instruments, it is important to understand if the existing ones worked or not.
MEPs defend ‘ambitious budget’ for cohesion policy
Threatened by cuts in the EU's next multi-annual budget (2021-2027), regional policy is clearly under threat and several MEPs are now coming to the frontline to defend it. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Council and Parliament agree on simplification of EU funds
Rules on the so-called Omnibus regulation on EU financial rules, including Cohesion policy, will be simplified, whether they are managed by the Commission, by various organisations and bodies, or jointly with national authorities. The European Parliament is now expected to...
Cretu: One legislation for cross-border projects
Corina Crețu, the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, supports the possibility for two member states working on cross-border cooperation projects to voluntarily choose the legislation from one of the two countries.
Romania’s former EU Commissioner starts new political party
Romania's former EU Agriculture Commissioner, Dacian Cioloș, who also briefly headed a technocratic government in 2016, has started a new political party just as the country gears up for presidential elections next year and parliamentary elections in 2020.
Cretu: EU’s Interreg programmes need to be revised, simplified
The European Territorial Programmes, known as Interreg, will need to be reshaped and streamlined because they are fragmented and often hampered by red tape and national borders, Commissioner Corina Crețu told an event in the European Parliament.
Cretu: No cuts for cohesion funds, fresh money for new priorities
In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu said that cohesion funds should not be reduced in the next EU budget as they form the backbone of the EU economy. Instead, member states should finance upcoming priorities with new money.
New S&D figurehead: We expect the Romanian justice minister to speak in plenary
Maria João Rodrigues, who is emerging as the most prominent figurehead in the European Parliament's S&D group, made it plain on Thursday (1 February) that her political group is quite critical of its Romanian affiliate member, the ruling social-democrat PSD.
Romanian president says will stand up for courts’ independence
Romania's President Klaus Iohannis told the European Union on Wednesday (31 January) he would fight for the independence of his country's courts, which he and Brussels say is threatened by draft laws prepared by the Social Democrat-led government.
Crețu: Austria and Germany are still recycling Marshall Plan funds
The European cohesion policy can be inspired by the post-World War II Marshall Plan model and achieve by 2023 added value of 3-4 euros for every euro invested in the 2014-2020 period, Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Crețu told EURACTIV Greece in an interview.
The economic crisis has exacerbated the EU’s regional differences
Despite four decades of a cohesion policy designed to shrink economic gaps between EU regions, differences remain stark and may have been exacerbated by the 2008 economic crisis, it was heard as the European Union presented its seventh 'cohesion report' on Monday (8 October).
Can an ‘EU of the regions’ offer an alternative to Catalan secession?
On Monday, local government officials from across the European Union will converge in Brussels for the ‘European Week of Regions and Cities’. As they meet, they will be well aware of the turmoil taking place in one region in particular - Catalonia.
NGOs ask Commission to step in as Bulgaria threatens access to justice
A coalition of green NGOs has called on the European Commission to intervene in Bulgaria, after the country’s ruling party announced a proposal that the environmentalists said would limit access to justice by increasing costs.
MEPs: European funds for poorer member states must not diminish
Negotiations are beginning on the future of the European budget, which also includes funds financing cohesion policy. Meeting in Strasbourg, MEPs agreed they should not be reduced. Aktuálně reports.
Commission insists poor-performing regions need structural reforms
The European Commission yesterday (11 April) suggested that regions with a lower level of growth could benefit from greater institutional capacity and structural reforms that could facilitate investment. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Crețu tells Athens ‘We are not Soviet Commissioners’
EU Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Crețu called the Greek government yesterday (6 April) to work more closely with the executive regarding the implementation of the Juncker Investment Plan. EURACTIV Greece reports.
Commission ‘not satisfied’ with Adriatic-Ionian Strategy results
European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu is extremely dissatisfied with the poor performance of the Adriatic-Ionian Strategy's implementation. EURACTIV Greece reports.
The Brief: Commission’s socialists shun Bucharest after corruption scandal
Bucharest thumbed its nose at the European Commission last night. It bypassed its parliament to issue an emergency decree sparing politicians prosecution for illegally pocketing cash, just a week after the executive praised the country's fight against corruption.
Bulgaria’s Borissov wants the ecology or regional development Commissioner portfolio
Following the resignation of Bulgarian Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, the country’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borissov, said that he would discuss her replacement with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker today (31 October).
Socialist leader: Romanian president will disregard election result
Ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held on 11 December, Liviu Dragnea, leader of the Romanian socialist party, warned of an "undemocratic" move by centre-right President Iohannis, who according to Dragnea, voiced his intention of nominating Dacian Cioloş for another mandate as Prime Minister, regardless of the election results.