The Baltic States are equally ready for the next EU funds programming period
Three Baltic States are equally prepared and have formulated national interests in European Union (EU) funds or Cohesion Policy future issues after 2013 – it was concluded on January 19 and 20 in the regular meeting where representatives of EU funds managing authorities from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania took part.
Experience and achievements of the Baltic States in EU funds implementation in the programming period 2007–2013 and preparation for the next programming period 2014 – 2020 was discussed. “Taking into account that negotiations with the European Commission on Cohesion Policy future issues will be complicated, for the Baltic States it is important to find common interests and be united in their position,” says Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance on EU Funds Issues Aleksandrs Antonovs.
The most painful issue for the three states is the proposal of the EC to introduce in the next programming period 2.5% of GDP Cohesion Policy ceilings for all Member States, which would mean considerable reduction of EU funding for the Baltic States.
As reported before, the Baltic States and Hungary sent a joint letter to the EC expressing dissatisfaction with its proposal and indicating that the acquisition capacity mentioned by the EC as a reason for such ceiling proposal is a contradictious argument, because these countries are among the best Cohesion Policy funding acquirers in this period.
In the meeting a conclusion was made that all three countries have made a similar time frame for further measures to start EU funds acquisition in the beginning of 2014.
Latvia and Estonia are on the same opinion that it is necessary to introduce focused EU funds or Cohesion Policy, which would mean that each Member State chooses and implements a limited number of clearly defined and understandable priorities thus ensuring effective achievement of results.
Representatives of EU funds managing authorities of the Baltic States also talked about the issue that after 2013 the number of institutions involved in the EU funds system should be reduces thus reducing administrative burden and system management costs. There was also an idea expressed to create only one operational programme in the future.
Information prepared by:
Agnese Belkevica
Deputy Head of Communication Division
Phone: 67083938
agnese.belkevica@fm.gov.lv
