Unused European funds can no longer be frozen. The European Parliament extended its view on investments 2021-2027 by deciding to do not punish states in strategic sectors. Common provisions have been adopted for the Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural and Rural Development Fund, and the Internal Security Fund.
The CPR Regulation (Common Provision Regulation) was examined by MEPs to counter the possibility of freezing unspent money according to national economic objectives. Basically, decarbonisation, innovation, digitalisation, support for SMEs. These goals which are part of the cohesion policy for the less developed regions are the real test of governments. There was a risk of drawing up rankings and dividing states into good and bad. Undoubtedly the 460 votes in favor of the Regulation will have their political weight when the Regulation will be examined by the new Parliament after the elections in May. The democratic Italian delegation did its job by condensing the result into greater flexibility. Especially for the possibility of separating the national contribution from the deficit-GDP calculation for justified cases.
The new rules concern a third of the European budget 2021-2027. Brussels will continue to co-finance national projects with rates of up to 85%, but the challenge is on competitiveness that from next year the individual states will have to accept. And here the use of funds for energy, environmental quality, the fight against climate change, sustainability, intelligent mobility is once again central. Anti-Europeanism has somehow been blocked on qualifying points. A more utilitarian vision for individual countries has prevailed.
There is no doubt that Italy has so far accumulated delays in spending the funds. Many Regions have had to renegotiate spending periods and, coincidentally, precisely in the environment, energy and climate. The opportunity not to make the same mistakes again is at hand. However, the European Parliament has established that 1,6 billion must be set aside as additional funding for the outermost regions. Alongside, there are also interregional projects with available ERDF resources of 11,3 billion.
Effects in Italy? First of all, streamline procedures and stimulate the Regions by also signing partnership agreements. After all, companies are waiting for nothing else with medium-term projects and investment plans, as long as they are not hindered. We can therefore share the final judgment of Constanze Krehl, parliamentarian of the Socialist and Democrat group (S&D), who insisted on macroeconomic conditionalities, which would have harassed the less developed European regions. Italy first of all.
