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New legislative package – The European Commission has taken into accounts Poland’s demands

24.04.2020

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Currently, the European economies are struggling with negative consequences of a pandemic caused by coronavirus. This particular situation requires extraordinary measures to be taken. Thanks to Poland and other Member States, the European Commission makes the legislation on the EU funds more flexible. From now on, the second legislative package for anti-covid measures, is in force.

During numerous teleconferences of cohesion policy ministers from individual EU countries, also with the participation of the Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, we tried to convince the European Commission to loosen procedures more to make it easier to transfer the EU money to healthcare or entrepreneurs. We have proposed  an antivirus cocktail which is a draft amendment to the EU law that would make this possible. I am pleased to say that our proposals have largely been included in the new European Commission’s package of actions to fight against the coronavirus – says Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy.

The solutions adopted include, among others:

  • additional flexibility in transferring funds between cohesion policy funds, that is the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund or the Cohesion Fund, and between the categories of regions, i.e. at different levels of development,
  • exempting Member States from the obligation to comply with the requirements of the so-called thematic concentration, that is from directing money to specific areas. The idea is to enable the use of Funds in the areas most affected by the crisis,
  • enabling support for enterprises in difficulty – that has not been possible so far,
  • recognition as eligible expenditure incurred in connection with the fight against a pandemic in projects previously not covered by the EU co-funding,
  • enabling Member States to temporarily (in the financial year 2020-2021) increase the level of co-financing to 100% of the value while submitting payment application to the EC. This solution is intended to improve the financial situation of the Member States, but it does not mean that individual beneficiaries will receive 100% funding  for projects.

The changes relate to technical corrections in legislation, but they are extremely important from the point of view of efficient implementation of investments co-financed by the EU. The adoption of these proposals will significantly facilitate the use of EU funds not only for the direct fight against coronavirus, but above all to mitigating its negative impact on the economy.

This time, the loosening the rules of spending the EU funds will be really noticeable. Of course, it’s not just our merit. Many ministers responsible for the Funds from other Member States strongly supported us in talks with the European Commission. In combination with the new EU legislation our special law on Funds will allow us to launch the wider front of anti-crisis operations using European funds – adds the Minister Jarosińska-Jedynak

The legislative package has been in force since the 24th of April 2020 , i.e. since it was published  in the EU Official Journal.

 

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