site.btaEU Regional Policy Commissioner Cretu Participates in Cohesion Policy Forum in Sofia

EU Regional Policy Commissioner Cretu Participates in Cohesion Policy Forum in Sofia

Sofia, June 16 (BTA) - The hundreds of thousands of projects, supported by the Cohesion Policy are the small steps leading to the big road of tomorrow's Europe in accordance with Robert Schuman's dreams, EU Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Cretu said Thursday at the opening of a conference on the EU Cohesion Policy in the period 2007-2013, along with the challenges related to its implementation. The forum, titled "The result orientation: Cohesion Policy at work", is organized by the EC's Directorate-General for regional development and is hosted in Bulgaria for the first time.

Cretu said that in several weeks' time the European Commission will discuss how the Union could switch to a result-oriented budget. She thanked Prime Minister Boyko Borrisov for the clearly stated support for the Cohesion Policy, which drew considerable criticism during the previous programming period. The Commissioner voiced the opinion that the member states that are direct beneficiaries can contribute to the discussions and show how sizable results can be achieved in different areas. She stressed Bulgaria's considerable progress in the absorption of EU funds.

Cretu quoted data showing that in the 2007-2013 period over 300 billion euros were invested in the EU through the Cohesion Policy as most of the funds were oriented towards disadvantaged regions, in particular, ones located in the countries, which joined the Union after 2004. Around 1,000 million people found jobs in the period under review thanks to the Cohesion Policy: 6 million citizens have new water supply systems, 7 million - water treatment plants or waste disposal systems, said the Commissioner. Over 250,000 small and medium-sized enterprises have upgraded their facilities and have invested in innovations.

Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini said that it is necessary to talk about improvements in the Cohesion Policy during the following programming period and not whether to keep it after 2020.

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister for EU funds and economic policy Tomislav Donchev said that the Cohesion Policy has been successful in attaining one of its main goals in Bulgaria - reducing the differences between the regions and between Bulgaria and the old member states. This policy is under pressure and our common task is to find the best arguments in its defence because it guarantees more Europe, ensure more connectivity and uniform standards in all EU countries, said Donchev.

Donchev explained that the pressure was a fact at least during the past five years as certain counties have doubts in the benefits of this policy and in its very existence. Yet, this policy creates favourable conditions for the business and gives an impetus for the development of the most disadvantaged regions in the EU, said Donchev. He pointed out that the efforts to simplify the access to financing should continue and that e-governance and smart control of the programme should be introduced.