Cohesion policy strategies and programmes (2007-2013)

The EESC congratulates the Commission for the content of the Communication. In the first part of its opinion, it states 22 conclusions and recommendations to improve the effectiveness of national cohesion policy strategies and programmes.

The rapporteur, in close cooperation with the European Parliament rapporteur, made a written submission to the Commissioner for regional policy, Danuta Hübner, containing two recommendations that appear both in the proposed EESC opinion and in the proposed EP report. These are: setting up a high-level working group made up of representatives of all the institutions and bodies involved to consider the future of cohesion policy; and providing European education and training, along with exchanges, for local managers who are responsible for implementing projects under cohesion policy.

The opinion focuses particularly on governance and partnership, highlighting the role that civil society organisations can and must play in implementing cohesion policy at local and regional level. The EESC proposes several ideas for improving effectiveness in this area.