Source: European Parliament
23.10.2024
Question for written answer E-002240/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR)
In an unofficial internal presentation, the Commission proposed replacing 530 ongoing programmes with 27 national operational programmes. This proposal would lead to the removal of regions’ competences and is in fact a way of acting outside the Treaties to boost the centralisation of Brussels’ power.
The changes the Commission is planning would increase red tape and reduce flexibility in responding to local needs. They would restrict regional authorities’ participation in the decision-making process and contribute to a greater disparity between the regions.
Under the guise of streamlining cohesion policy, the Commission’s ideas are dismantling EU regional policy, as other EU institutions – the European Committee of the Regions, the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control and the European Court of Auditors – have also pointed out.
In light of the above:
- 1.Could the Commission please confirm whether it is considering a model for the centralisation of EU funds which would deprive the regions of their autonomy and which is at odds with Articles 174–178 TFEU on the establishment, implementation and management of cohesion policy?
- 2.Is the Commission aware that centralising EU power over the regions breaches the subsidiarity principle, which is one of the pillars of the European Union?
Submitted: 23.10.2024