Over half of the EU countries, including Romania, have conflict with von der Leyen. The stake is one of 400 billion euros
Ursula von der Leyen. Photo credit: Stefan Boness / IPON / SIPA Press / Profimedia
Most EU countries have criticized the reform discreetly proposed by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von Der Leyen, regarding the nearly 400 billion euros in regional funds, in a letter obtained by Politico, quoted by Radio Romania.
Two weeks before the EU executive has the next seven-year-old budget, on July 16, 14 EU governments, including Italy, Spain, Poland and Romania caught the attention of Ursula von der Leyen not to reduce the cohesion funds for poorer regions.
In a concise warning, only one page, addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, these countries wrote that “only a distinct and robust budget, as well as a region-based allocation methodology […] they will ensure unity, competitiveness and long -term convergence between EU regions. ”
These concerns were also expressed by European commissioners – including the head of the budget, Piotr Serafin, and the Cohesion Commissioner Raffaele Fitto – who support a strong role of the regions in the future budget.
Several governments, MEPs and lobby groups are firmly opposed to the Commission's plan to merge agricultural and regional funds-which represent about two thirds of the EU trillion budget-in a single fund for each country.
The EU executive has defended the new system, arguing that it will lead to a more efficient simplification and use.
A “great and ugly law” will appear, accuses the head of the region committee
But the opponents are afraid that the new system will give a greater power to the national governments to the detriment of the regions, those that traditionally managed local financing.
“I have the unpleasant feeling that behind the curtain of smoke of simplification and efficiency will appear a” big and ugly law “in the form of a smaller and faster EU budget after 2027,” wrote Kata Tüttő, the President of the European Committee of Regions, an EU body representing local authorities.
Tüttő reiterated the fears that the merits of funds constitute a stratagem for the unintended reduction of expenses.
The signatories of the letter also sent von der Leyen that the cohesion policy should “reflect the different levels of development of the regions.”
Since the launch of the EU regional financing program in the 1970s, most funds have been allocated directly by Brussels to the poorer regions of the Union.
But there are more and more fears that this system will be reformed, and the national governments – and not the commission – will be the ones that will allocate the funds of themselves.
The letter was signed by Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia.
