Budget reform and cohesion funds

The European Parliament today adopted two resolutions regarding the reform of cohesion policy beyond 2014. With this vote, the Parliament today presented its first input to the debate on the future architecture of the multiannual programmes, just before the publication of the fifth cohesion report by the European Commission. The resolution makes a clear call for an independent and well financed structural policy for all regions in Europe. The Lisbon Treaty grants the European Parliament full co-decision rights in the area of regional development policies and, consequently, the position of the European Parliament in this debate is therefore more important than ever before. Commenting on the vote, German Green MEP Elisabeth Schroedter said:

"As Greens, we aim for a redefinition of the well-being of regions for the next funding period. Well-being can no longer be defined solely through GDP, and this means using indicators other than GDP, such as social and ecological indicators. Instead of relying only on economic criteria, these additional indicators would ensure that European structural funds help in overcoming social divisions within and amongst regions. At the same time, this concept of 'GDP plus' would give a clear signal that a safe environment and climate change protection are just as important for the well-being of a region as economic success.

"We need this paradigm shift now! The OECD has already started to redefine the concept of well-being, and the EU cannot ignore this development. Today's vote of the European Parliament is a first success of our negotiations and an important step towards ending a backward policy."