Decisive European Parliament Vote on the future Cohesion Policy expected tomorrow

Brussels, July 9, 2013 – The European Parliament’s committee for regional development (REGI) will vote tomorrow on the European Commission’s proposals to reform EU Structural Funds. If approved, the watered-down text will significantly dampen Europe’s potential to promote renewables and energy savings, according to Bankwatch and Friends of the Earth Europe.

Markus Trilling, EU funds campaigner for Bankwatch and Friends of the Earth Europe said:

“We’ve ended up with a laissez-faire version of the Commission’s proposals, leaving a lot of room for abuse by countries and regions. Member states could finance gas infrastructure from structural funds with the current text.”

“Cohesion Policy still has the potential to create green jobs, save energy and protect the environment, creating the sustainable, resilient economy that Europe needs but only if countries and regions are responsible about future spending.”

The REGI vote is expected to take place tomorrow, between 10:30 and 12:30, in Brussels.

The vote will cover four separate regulations: for the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) and the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). In addition, it will cover most of the so-called Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) which sets out common rules for all the European Structural and Investment Funds.

The entire Parliament will still need to confirm tomorrow’s REGI outcome in a vote this autumn.

For more information contact:

Markus Trilling, EU funds coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe and Bankwatch, will be available for comments after the vote tomorrow.
Tel: +32 (0) 2 893 1031
Email: markus.trilling at bankwatch.org

Notes for the editors:

The original Commission proposals are available here:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/what/future/proposals_2014_2020_en.cfm

The version put to vote in the REGI Committee can be consulted here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&reference=REGI-OJ-20130710-1&language=EN

Read a briefing of the Coalition for Sustainable EU Funds, the main environmental NGOs in Brussels working on the EU budget, on the amended version of the Commission’s proposal here:
https://bankwatch.org/sites/default/files/briefing-CPtrialogues-analysis-09Jul2013.pdf