About: regional development
REGI chair: If von der Leyen has an ambition for Europe, she must have an ambition for Cohesion
The European Parliament shall not accept cuts on the budget of Cohesion Policy and expects the European Commission and its new President to be on its side, says MEP Younous Omarjee.
Study: Cohesion’s impact on local audiences still remains limited
Social outcomes in Cohesion policy remain relatively obscure for the general public compared to economic developments, a recent project study has found. In addition to that, the process of reaching local audiences remains a challenge for policymakers and organisations across the European regions.
European regions in urgent need of a Brexit strategy
Brexit will have many practical consequences for the regional economy. Port cities like Zeebrugge in Belgium, which trade a lot with Great Britain, will be particularly affected. EURACTIV Germany takes a look at both sides of the Channel.
MEP Van Nistelrooij: Cohesion is still a cornerstone, despite cuts
With €375 billion in the new budget, cohesion remains a cornerstone of EU policies and the proposed cuts will be compensated with increased national co-financing, said Dutch MEP Lambert Van Nistelrooij (EPP). He also said he was in favour of keeping the decentralised approach of ESF and the current categorisation of the regions.
Hatzidakis: Europe cannot become better with less money
Less money won’t make Europe better, Kostas Hatzidakis, vice president of the main Greek opposition party, New Democracy (EPP), told EURACTIV Greece in an interview. He also stressed he would favour the Cohesion policy to focus on Europe's less developed areas and Financial Instruments to ensure less bureaucracy and more flexibility.
Italy balks at centralisation of cohesion policy funds
The Italian government wants co-funded resources of the EU's cohesion policy to remain managed by the regions. Rome wants the policy to remain unchanged under the new budget after 2020.
EU mulls new link between budget and rule of law
The EU’s justice commissioner is working on a proposal that could oblige member states such as Poland, which has clashed with Brussels over reforms to its courts, to pass tests on the independence of their judicial systems before receiving funding.
EU initiative to help coal mining regions will start in autumn
The Commission is working on an initiative to support coal mining regions during the transition towards a low-emission economy. EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.
Commission gives free hand to capitals to subsidise small airports
The European Commission announced today (17 May) a review of state aid rules that will allow member states to pour millions of euros of support into struggling regional airports without prior approval from Brussels.
Bulk of EU energy efficiency funds misused, says auditor
Only 10% of EU cohesion funds earmarked for energy efficiency - in total worth €5 billion - are being used correctly, an author of a report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) announced yesterday (14 January).
Loss of funds for Europe’s outermost regions ‘unacceptable’
Leaders from Europe’s Outermost Regions have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Commission's new strategy which slashes their funding in half.
Regions commit to green policies ahead of Rio+20
European regions are gearing up for the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June by drawing up a list of “key ingredients” in a bid to make sustainable urban development a focal point of the Brazil discussions.