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Resolution on simplification and performance orientation in cohesion policy 2014-2020

2015/2772(RSP)

The European Parliament adopted by 562 votes to 10, with 41 abstentions, a resolution on Towards simplification and performance orientation in cohesion policy 2014-2020.

Members considered that despite the reformed cohesion policy for the 2014-2020 programming period, in which simplification methods are addressed, application, management, reporting and control with respect to the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are still cumbersome for both beneficiaries and managing authorities, in particular those with fewer administrative and financial capacities.

Therefore, Parliament called on the Commission and the Member States to:

  • introduce detailed guidelines on simplification in order to make the Member States and their regions aware of their task of eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, the administrative burden and gold-plating arising at national and local levels in the processes of procurement, project proposal selection and monitoring and control activities;
  • provide the Member States and their regions with a roadmap for streamlining and simplifying control, monitoring and reporting activities;
  • note the target date of 31 December 2015 for switching to e-cohesion as a precondition for significantly cutting the application-to-grant time;
  • establish and implement, in coordination with the Member States and in line with the principle of proportionality, a light-touch approach to data and information requirements for beneficiaries in the process of application and reporting related to EU funding under shared management, and to encourage the sharing of good practices;
  • promote simplification of the rules governing financial instruments within ESI Funds with a view to aligning them more closely to beneficiaries’ needs and ultimately improving their use;
  • increase the use of the multi-fund approach, taking into consideration the needs of beneficiaries;

Lastly, the Commission is invited to enter into a structured and permanent dialogue with Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and other stakeholders on all aspects of this simplification process.