LRAs call to speed up process of shaping New Operational Programmes
EPP-CoR members have called on the European Commission to speed up the recovery process, to ensure that EU funds are distributed in a transparent and fair way and to emphasise the need to engage LRAs when drawing national recovery plans. During a debate on new cohesion policy programmes in synergy with all recovery tools with Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, representatives of villages, cities and regions also called for direct funding to be able to complete key projects on the ground.
Olgierd Geblewicz, President of West Pomerania Region and of the EPP-CoR Group said that villages, cities, and regions have suffered extensively from the COVID-19. Geblewicz added "Local and regional authorities are calling for a fast process of shaping the New Operational Programmes in partnership which will answer our local needs and allow us to realise projects on the ground without any delay as well as a transparent and fair distribution of funds between all the cities and regions.
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca explained that implementation of recovery plans in a timely manner was a matter of trust in Europe from citizens. He added that local and regional authorities should not only be informed about the outcome of the negotiations for the selection of funding objectives and priorities, but be concretely engaged. "Local and regional authorities know exactly the problems being faced, what we need to do to overcome them and where investment should focus in order to succeed." Boc said that it is of utmost importance that the partnership principle is respected.
Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw said that cohesion and recovery programmes need to go hand in hand. "One cannot talk about synergy when the latter is drafted in secrecy. The Commission must secure that national recovery plans are drafted in consultation with all interested parties, especially LRA's." Trzaskowski reiterated his call for direct funding for LRAs to complete key projects that support EU targets.
Mariusz Frankowski, Councillor of Warsaw said that support under the instruments for economic recovery after the pandemic crisis cannot be viewed as a substitute for cohesion policy objectives under regional programmes, especially when taking into account large economic diversification of metropolitan regions.
Rastislav Trnka, Chairman of Košice Self – Governing Region said that when discussing recovery plans, LRAs, as authorities closer to the citizens must have their say. "For the boat to make it to its destination, everyone must paddle, true partnership is crucial, otherwise the boat will go round in circles." Trnka said
Agnès Rampal, Member of the Regional Assembly, Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Deputy Mayor of Métropole Nice-Côte d’Azur said that cities and regions, closest to European citizens, have a major role to play in ensuring that the EU recovery plan effectively benefits the communities and territories most affected by the economic crisis. "To ensure effective implementation of the European recovery plan, the regional and local level must be fully involved to avoid any risk of competition between funds, and in particular between the regional funds and the recovery and resilience facility.”
Sari Rautio, Chair of City Board of Hämeenlinna and Vice-Chair of Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities said that it is crucial for all the different tools to be used in order to achieve the same big goals, recovery and green transition. She concluded by saying that "The Baltic Sea interregional group of European Committee of the Regions is also stressing the meaning of this."