European funds: success and failure

The European Commission will support Romania in its efforts to improve absorption of EU funds.

Ştefan Stoica, 17.03.2017, 13:06

Halfway through
the 2014-2020 financial framework, Romania’s rate of absorbing EU funds is zero,
the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu has warned during
her latest visit to Bucharest. Under the circumstances, the authorities must
take immediate action to see that the funds Romania has been allotted by the EU
are accessed.

Following talks
with Romania’s Prime Minister, Sorin Grindeanu, Commissioner Cretu said it is
key that EU funds should be spent strategically while observing Romania’s
investment priorities stipulated in the country’s Partnership Agreement. She
noted that under the 2007-2014 financial framework, Romania’s absorption rate
stood at over 90%, which means 17 billion euros of the total of 19 billion made
available for Romania. The money was invested in Romanian economy and this can
be seen at local level. The European Commission expects Bucharest to appoint
new management and control authorities. According to Corina Cretu, EU
structural and investment funds should go hand in hand with financing Romania’s
local development programme. Prime Minister Grindeanu firmly argued in favour
of unblocking certain areas that would allow attracting EU funds:

Over the past
couple of months we have taken measures so that all management authorities
should obtain certification by the end of the year. Additionally, over the
coming period, we will be signing financing IT contracts under the
Competitiveness Framework Programme. You will be seeing a large number of
guidelines for financing being published. These things will be ready to launch
in April.

On the other
hand, Romania can absorb some 250 million euros worth of funds for the
modernisation of 280 hospitals and healthcare units, Commissioner Corina Cretu
also said. The funds are mainly aimed at rehabilitating and expanding 42 county
hospitals. One goal is to help the population in rural areas get direct access
to quality healthcare services. Commissioner Corina Cretu also met Romanian
Minister Delegate for European Funds, Rovana Plumb. The latter said Romania’s
objective this year is to absorb 5.2 billion euros from the funds available
under the Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common
Fisheries Policy.