Endelige konklusioner og henstillinger fra Gruppen på Højt Niveau om Forenkling for perioden efter 2020
Opinion factsheet
På denne side
- Samhørighedspolitik
- Cohesion policy reform
Opinion number:
CDR-4842-2017
Status:
Vedtaget
Objective
Simplification is intended to contribute to a better, more effective and simpler use of the Funds in order to make the greatest possible contribution in achieving the Treaty objective of Territorial Cohesion and in making the EU more competitive. As the EU's Cohesion policy is the EU's only instrument for European Regions and Cities, its effective functioning is thus of crucial importance for LRAs.
By decision of 10 July 2015 (C(2015) 4806), the European Commission set up a High Level Group of Independent Experts on Monitoring Simplification for Beneficiaries of the European Structural and Investment Funds. The task of the group of experts has been to advise the Commission with regard to simplification and reduction of administrative burden for beneficiaries of the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds, both during the current programming period and with a view to the post-2020 MFF.
On 11 July 2017 the HLG adopted its recommendations for the post-2020 programming period. The recommendations are intended to guide the Commission services in their ongoing preparation of the legislative proposals for the new generation of ESI Fund programmes and to feed into the discussion on the Commission's Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances.
The CoR has consistently insisted in past negotiations on the importance of simplifying Cohesion Policy. The main objective of the opinion is therefore to capitalise on the current political momentum to reiterate its key messages on simplification for the post-2020 period and ensure that the requirements and experience of local and regional authorities are fully reflected in the future ESIF framework.
By decision of 10 July 2015 (C(2015) 4806), the European Commission set up a High Level Group of Independent Experts on Monitoring Simplification for Beneficiaries of the European Structural and Investment Funds. The task of the group of experts has been to advise the Commission with regard to simplification and reduction of administrative burden for beneficiaries of the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds, both during the current programming period and with a view to the post-2020 MFF.
On 11 July 2017 the HLG adopted its recommendations for the post-2020 programming period. The recommendations are intended to guide the Commission services in their ongoing preparation of the legislative proposals for the new generation of ESI Fund programmes and to feed into the discussion on the Commission's Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances.
The CoR has consistently insisted in past negotiations on the importance of simplifying Cohesion Policy. The main objective of the opinion is therefore to capitalise on the current political momentum to reiterate its key messages on simplification for the post-2020 period and ensure that the requirements and experience of local and regional authorities are fully reflected in the future ESIF framework.
Impact
• European Commission
Commissioner Creţu sent a letter to President Lambertz on 18 July 2017 expressing her thanks to the CoR for its contributions to the simplification exercise to date and encouraging the CoR to discuss the HLG's post-2020 simplification proposals and to provide feedback on them. CoR rapporteur Oldřich Vlasák was invited to present the draft opinion at the final meeting of the HLG on 21 November 2017, as the only external participant invited to the meeting. The impact of the opinion can be seen in the uptake of several of its recommendations for improvement and simplification of the ESIF legislative framework post-2020 (for example, the CPR proposal take up the CoR's suggestion to discontinue the "designation procedure").
In its response to the CoR opinion, the European Commission also recognised the need to reinforce involvement of all stakeholders in European Semester process, including LRAs, and indicated that the 2018 Cohesion policy legislative proposals would address the alignment of concepts and definitions between the different sets of rules, and facilitates the combination of funds. It also shares the CoR's view on the critical importance of ensuring that the Commission's legislative proposals on the ESI framework for the post-2020 period are adopted at least 6 months before the start of the next programming period and calls on the co-legislators to ensure prompt adoption, while making sure that in the process the simplification elements proposed by the Commission are kept.
With regard to ETC, the Commission recognised the particularly active role played by the CoR in the discussion on the possible specific solutions for European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) (notably organisation of joint workshop in November 2018). In line with the CoR's recommendation, the Commission proposed a standalone Regulation for ETC as part of the May 2018 package. The proposal for a Regulation also took up the CoR's proposals on small project funds for cross-border cooperation and application of flat-rates for staff costs in case of contracts below the thresholds fixed in the public procurement directives, as called for in the opinion on "Simplification of European Structural and Investment Funds from the perspective of Local and Regional Authorities" (COTER-VI/012).
Concerning the CoR's call for exemption of ETC from State aid notification rules, as set out in the HLG opinion and reiterated in the opinion on ETC (COTER-VI/047), it is to be noted that this was achieved over the course of interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal for a Regulation on ETC (COM (2018) 374 final).
• European Parliament
Following the adoption of the opinion by the CoR plenary of 31 January/1 February 2018, the rapporteur discussed the CoR opinion with Commissioner Creţu and with Members of the European Parliament including Jan Olbrycht MEP and Ms Ruza Tomasic MEP.
Commissioner Creţu sent a letter to President Lambertz on 18 July 2017 expressing her thanks to the CoR for its contributions to the simplification exercise to date and encouraging the CoR to discuss the HLG's post-2020 simplification proposals and to provide feedback on them. CoR rapporteur Oldřich Vlasák was invited to present the draft opinion at the final meeting of the HLG on 21 November 2017, as the only external participant invited to the meeting. The impact of the opinion can be seen in the uptake of several of its recommendations for improvement and simplification of the ESIF legislative framework post-2020 (for example, the CPR proposal take up the CoR's suggestion to discontinue the "designation procedure").
In its response to the CoR opinion, the European Commission also recognised the need to reinforce involvement of all stakeholders in European Semester process, including LRAs, and indicated that the 2018 Cohesion policy legislative proposals would address the alignment of concepts and definitions between the different sets of rules, and facilitates the combination of funds. It also shares the CoR's view on the critical importance of ensuring that the Commission's legislative proposals on the ESI framework for the post-2020 period are adopted at least 6 months before the start of the next programming period and calls on the co-legislators to ensure prompt adoption, while making sure that in the process the simplification elements proposed by the Commission are kept.
With regard to ETC, the Commission recognised the particularly active role played by the CoR in the discussion on the possible specific solutions for European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) (notably organisation of joint workshop in November 2018). In line with the CoR's recommendation, the Commission proposed a standalone Regulation for ETC as part of the May 2018 package. The proposal for a Regulation also took up the CoR's proposals on small project funds for cross-border cooperation and application of flat-rates for staff costs in case of contracts below the thresholds fixed in the public procurement directives, as called for in the opinion on "Simplification of European Structural and Investment Funds from the perspective of Local and Regional Authorities" (COTER-VI/012).
Concerning the CoR's call for exemption of ETC from State aid notification rules, as set out in the HLG opinion and reiterated in the opinion on ETC (COTER-VI/047), it is to be noted that this was achieved over the course of interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal for a Regulation on ETC (COM (2018) 374 final).
• European Parliament
Following the adoption of the opinion by the CoR plenary of 31 January/1 February 2018, the rapporteur discussed the CoR opinion with Commissioner Creţu and with Members of the European Parliament including Jan Olbrycht MEP and Ms Ruza Tomasic MEP.
Essential points
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- emphasises that simplification of the ESI Funds must form a part of a reformed and improved cohesion policy for the future of Europe;
- welcomes the constructive nature of the High Level Group's recommendations and the clear statement that simplification is the task of all parties involved in the implementation and administration of the Funds – the Commission, the co-legislators, the Member States and regional and local authorities;
- notes that there are still a number of very important areas and subsidiary issues that the High Level Group's conclusions do not address or address only partially;
- confirms its strong support for the analysis set out by the HLG of the significant benefits of the shared management model for effective delivery of Cohesion Policy;
- underscores the importance of ensuring that the existing ESI funds (ERDF, ESF, EAFRD, Cohesion Fund, Fisheries Fund) stay together and are coordinated through common rules and provisions post-2020;
- confirms the support for the overarching objective outlined by the HLG of ensuring equal treatment and a level playing field for ESIF programmes and centrally managed funds and underscores the need for alignment of state aid and public procurement rules;
- suggests the establishment of One Stop Shops at national/regional level to help beneficiaries handle ESI and non-ESI funds together;
- points to the lessons to be learned from the delays experienced at the start of the current programming period and underscores the critical importance of ensuring that the Commission's legislative proposals on the post-2020 ESI framework are presented and agreed at least six months before the start of the new programming period;
- recommends moving towards a more differentiated approach in the areas of audit, reporting and controls.