RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Average Absorption of European funds

2017 is a crucial year for Romania with regard to attracting European money, says the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu

Average Absorption of European funds
Average Absorption of European funds

, 09.05.2017, 13:29

On Monday, during a formal visit to her native Romania, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu launched the second campaign aimed at promoting successful European projects. Thanks to such projects, more than 50,000 jobs have been created in the past 10 years, and many schools and roads have been refurbished and built. However, Corina Cretu pointed out that the money used for those projects were part of the previous multiannual financial framework. European Commissioner Corina Cretu:



For the 2007-2014 period, Romania had 19 billion to spend. It lost 2 billion; we are still waiting for the estimates of the Audit Court. According to our estimates, the absorption rate will stand somewhere between 90-91%, unless other big financial corrections are operated. The Commission has a few months to analyze the tons of invoices that were sent to us until March 2017, which was the deadline for submittal. But this is the estimate. It means that 17 billion entered Romania’s real economy, accounting for 5% of GDP”.



As the title of this new promotion campaign is ‘Success is catchy’, the European official hopes that Romania will benefit from such success stories and properly use the money earmarked under the current financial framework, especially considering that today, when half of the period has already passed, the absorption rate is 0. Brussels has funds, but it expects quality, mature projects, which can be implemented right away.



Therefore, the year 2017 is crucial for Romania with regard to attracting EU money. The invoices issued so far cover only 77% of the total amount allocated, which is the poorest performance in the whole of the EU. For the 2007-2014 period, 1 of the 2 billion Euros lost because of poor absorption were from transportation, and for the 2014-2020 programming period, the flagship project, namely the Sibiu-Pitesti motorway, which should cross the Southern Carpathians, has not managed to pass the feasibility study stage.



As regards the issues Romania is faced with when it comes to absorbing European money, the European Commissioner said that the main problems are the lack of administrative capacity and also the lack of good projects. Corina Cretu also said that Romania is the only European country that still submits hundreds of pages long projects, although Brussels encourages the submittal of such projects in an electronic format. Moreover, she voiced her disappointment that young people no longer try to access European funds, saying that the procedures are much too complicated. (Translated by M. Ignatescu)

Photo: roaep.ro
Today in the News Monday, 25 November 2024

Surprising result in Romania’s presidential elections

The independent candidate Călin Georgescu takes the lead in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania.       Over 9.4...

Surprising result in Romania’s presidential elections
(foto: Polizia di Frontiera Romena)
Today in the News Monday, 25 November 2024

Closer to full Schengen accession

The Ministers of the Interior of Romania, Hungary, Austria and Bulgaria reached a historic agreement in Budapest on Friday on the enlargement of the...

Closer to full Schengen accession
Signing of the protocol (foto:
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

Transition program towards F-35, launched

The Romanian Air Force’s transition program to 5th generation aircraft has been launched.   Romania’s decision to acquire advanced fighter...

Transition program towards F-35, launched
Energy (foto: EdWhiteImages / pixabay.com)
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

The National Energy Strategy, adopted

Using local resources, reducing imports and making massive investments in production capacity are important elements of the new National Energy...

The National Energy Strategy, adopted
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company