regional policy eu cohesion policy 2014-2020 eu cohesion policy 2014-2020 proposals from the...

Regional PolicyRegional Policy

EU Cohesion Policy EU Cohesion Policy 2014-20202014-2020

Proposals from theEuropean Commission


Legislative package

• The General RegulationCommon 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 regulationsERDF regulation

CF regulation

ESF regulation

ETC regulation

• EGTC regulation


Mission and Goals

Mission of EU cohesion policy:• to reduce disparities between Europe's regions strengthening

economic, social and terrritorial cohesion in line with article 174 of the Treaty

• to contribute to the Union Strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

Two goals:• Investment for growth and jobs• European Territorial cooperation


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 regions0.9

TOTAL** 336.0

Connecting Europe facility for transport, energy and ICT40.0

TOTAL 376.0

*Cohesion Fund will ringfence 10 billion EUR for the new Connecting Europe Facility

**Includes 2,5 billion EUR allocation for food for deprived persons


Geographical coverage and level of support

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%)

Co-financing rates range from:

• 50 % for the more developed regions

to

• 85 % for the Cohesion Fund and less developed regions of Member States whose average GDP per capita for the period 2007 to 2009 was below 85 % of the EU-27 average


• Cohesion Fund for Member States with GNI per capita <90%

• Investments in the fields of environment and trans-European transport Networks

• On the basis of latest GNI figures, Greece and Cyprus will benefit from phasing-out of Cohesion Fund


Common Principles for all Funds

• Five funds: ERDF, ESF, CF + rural development and fisheries

• Strengthening partnership and multi-level governance

- Introduction of a binding European Code of conduct

• Compliance with Union and national law

• Reinforcement of gender equality and non-discrimination:

• Promoting sustainable development


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


Strengthening the Strategic Approach

Operational Programmes

Partnership contract

Common Strategic Framework


Programming• Integrated programme approach

• One Common Strategic Framework at EU level and one Partnership Contract at national level

• Possibility for multi-fund programmes

• Possibility for "multi-category" operational programmes which cover less developed, transition, and more developed regions or any combination of these

• Integrated approaches for territorial development supported by the CSF Funds

• Macro-regional strategies to be reflected in all layers of programming


Performance frameworkFocuses on the achievement of programme objectives

Sets out milestones and targets for performance of programme priorities for 2016, 2018 and 2022

Performance review - in 2017 and 2019

Performance reserve – disbursed after the review in 2019

• A performance reserve of 5% is set aside at the beginning of the programming period (exception for ETC)

• The performance reserve is established per CSF Fund, per Member State and per category of region


A Focus on Results

• Fund specific common output and result indicators

• Programme specific indicators

• Thorough information and analysis of all the elements of the OP required only in 2017, 2019 and for the final report

• No annual report in 2015, lighter annual reports on implementation

• Ex-ante evaluation

• Evaluation during the programming period

• Ex-post evaluation by the Commission


Conditions of assistance

Some changes in eligibility rules, incl:• Operations supported by the CSF Funds shall be located in

the area covered by the programme under which they are supported

• Exemptions subject to conditions: o benefit to the programme area o ceiling of 10% at the level of a priority axis o Monitoring Committee approval o fulfilment of management, control and audit obligations

Simplified costs used more widely


Ex-ante and macroeconomic conditionalities

Ex-ante conditionality• Directly related to the thematic objectives or horizontal conditions of

effectiveness• Conditionalities must be fulfilled within two years of the approval of

the Partnership Contract or by end of 2016

Macroeconomic conditionality - closer link between cohesion policy and the economic governance of the Union in two areas:

• Council recommendations• Union financial assistance to a Member State

May lead to:• Amendment of programmes• Suspension of payments


Responsibilities of Member States and of the Commission

• Broad continuity of general responsibilities and obligations

• eCohesion Policy

• Broad continuity in the structure of the management and control system and in the division of tasks and the responsibilities of the managing authority, the certifying authority and the audit authority

• Member State should designate an accrediting body at ministerial level: responsibility for accreditation of the managing and certifying authorities, continuous oversight, for fixing a probation period, and withdrawal of accreditation


Other aspects

• Technical assistance• Major projects• Joint Action plans• Financial instruments• Pre-financing, interim payments and decommitment

deadlines• Proportionate audit arrangements• Accounting year and clearance of accounts• Financial corretions, interruptions and suspensions


Scope of ERDF

• Investments in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens in the areas of environment, transport, and ICT are limited to the less developed and transition regions

• More targeted support to large enterprises, focused on technology and applied research, including the first production of Key Enabling Technologies

• Restrictions for support to the ETS sector, the tobacco industry, decommissioning of nuclear power stations and undertakings in difficulties


Scope of the Cohesion Fund• Investments in the environment, including areas related to

sustainable development and energy which present environmental benefits

• trans-European networks in the area of transport infrastructure, in compliance with the guidelines adopted by Decision No 661/2010/EU

• technical assistance• Appropriate balance of investments required • Restrictions – decommissioning of nuclear power stations, ETS

sector, housing


Human capital as driver for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

Scope of ESF

18 Investment priorities in 4 thematic objectives:

1. Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility

2. Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty

3. Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning

Enhancing institutional and administrative capacities

ESF contribution to the other thematic objectives notably:

1. Supporting an environmentally sustainable economy (low carbon…)

2. Enhancing the accessibility, use and quality of ICT

3. Strengthening research and innovation

Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs


European Territorial CooperationEuropean Territorial Cooperation


Architecture

• Cross-border cooperation

• COM to adopt list of cross-border areas to receive support by programme (at NUTS 3 level)

• List specifies border areas covered by IPA/ENI

• List includes regions in NO, CH etc. and countries neighbouring outermost regions for information purposes

• Addition of adjacent NUTS 3 regions may be proposed when submitting programmes


Architecture

• Transnational cooperation• COM to adopt list of transnational areas to receive support

by programme (at NUTS 2 level)

• Third country regions covered by ENI (incl. Russia) and IPA can also be covered by programme, funding to be made available.

• Third country regions included in list for information purposes

• Addition of adjacent NUTS 2 regions may be proposed when submitting programmes

• Interregional cooperation – EU-27, whole or part of territory of third countries may be covered


Financial Resources

• 3 categories

• 73% for cross-border cooperation (EUR 8.6 bn)

• 21% for transnational (EUR 2.4 bn)

• 6% for interregional (EUR 0,7 bn)

• 75% co-financing rate (50% for outermost regions’ allocation)


EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

in 2014-2020 Cohesion Policy• Political commitment to be reflected in 2014-2020

cohesion policy programmes• Territorial co-operation programmes will support

as well• EUSBSR to be reflected in all programming

documents • Review of the Strategy and its Action Plan • Roles and responsibilities


For more information

InfoRegio:ec.europa.eu/inforegio

RegioNetwork:www.regionetwork2020.eu

regional policy eu cohesion policy 2014-2020 eu cohesion policy 2014-2020 proposals from the...

Documents

regional policy slide

cohesion policy post

regional policy mission

regional policy budget

terrritorial cohesion

developed regions gdp

prices cohesion fund

rural development policy