• fr
  • en

What future for Cohesion policy post 2020? Euromontana response to the public consultation

In March 2018, Euromontana has responsed to the public consultation on EU funds in the area of Cohesion. Its position paper points out solutions to move towards a more place-based development that more effectively considers territorial cohesion. It recalled that cohesion policy is also territorial cohesion and should pay particular attention to mountain areas, as requested in the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU.

Euromontana suggests how to better use existing tools to address place-based development in mountain areas all over the policy process from ex-ante evaluation, to designing and implementing the Operational Programmes to ex-post evaluation stage. It underlines the relevance of some tools like ITIs and CLLD instruments, even if insufficiently used so far or the possibility of modulating co-financing rates to give a higher co-financing rate to areas with geographical specificities. It also recognises the key role played by macro-regional strategies.

In addition, Euromontana suggests widening the set of available tools to make it easier to pay special attention to mountain areas. An Agenda for EU Mountainous Regions, a specific macro-regional strategy for the Carpathians, the development of cross-border Operational Programmes for some mountain ranges, like the “Comités de massifs” in France or better taking into account functional territories, with the possibility of creating multi-regional or intra-regional Operational Programmes for inter alia mountain ranges when relevant are among the examples presented. In addition, Euromontana suggests to better earmarked support with a minimum of 5% of Structural and Investment Funds for areas with geographic specificities to encourage place-based, integrated and sustainable development.

Finally, as simplification should first and foremost be done for beneficiaries, Euromontana presents simplification solutions to make Cohesion policy more accessible for all potential beneficiaries and more coherent. Euromontana notably recommends the following measures to be adopted:

  • Increased flexibility with multi-fund Operational Programmes and solutions for cross-financing of operations between ESF and ERDF
  • Encourage the possibility to have more synergies between the different Operational Programmes in one region
  • Encourage a one-stop shop for all managing authorities of Structural and Investment Funds
  • Promote the principle of proportionality in the controls
  • Use more simplified and unit costs to simplify the management and reporting of the operations for the beneficiaries.
  • Encourage managing authorities to systematically have a pre-financing of at least 50% of project costs at the beginning of each project to avoid cash flow problems for smaller organisations.
  • Simplify reporting processes.

To conclude, if Euromontana welcomes the fact that DG Regio has contracted a consultant to deliver a study, by August 2018, on how the current Operational Programmes are strengthening the development of islands, mountains and sparsely populated areas through Cohesion Policy, Euromontana can only regret that this study will not be taken into account in the next legislative proposals due by the end of May 2018.  More generally, regarding the timing, Euromontana wonders why this public consultation was done so late in the process and how its results will really be taken into account, as these legislative proposals have to be adopted by the College of Commissioners less than 3 months after the end of the consultation.

Share
21 March 2018

Euromontana sur Facebook

5 days ago

Euromontana
Today, members of the Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG) meet online to discuss: • The forthcoming RPCG Declaration on the future of EU rural policy, which addresses the open questions in the @European Commission’s ‘key achievements and ways forward’ report;• RPCG members’ position papers on the future of Europe’s rural areas;• RPCG members’ role in the Rural Pact Conference of April 2025;• Members’ actions to date & the Rural Pact Support Office 2025 work programme.More information at: bit.ly/4fwtjnS#RuralPact #RuralVisionEU ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

6 days ago

Euromontana
📢 #CallForProposals: you can now submit proposals for the #InternationalMountainConference!The international conference dedicated to #MountainResearch is taking place from 14-18 September 2025 in #Innsbruck. It is being organised by the Research Area “Mountain Regions” at the Universität Innsbruck ⛰️🇦🇹📝 The #IMC is currently looking for proposals focusing on scientific research in #MountainRegions around the world. There are six formats to choose from, including plenary sessions and workshops - find out more and submit your proposal by 28 November: loom.ly/ntncy_M ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

2 weeks ago

Euromontana
We're at the #Gismart project Kick Off meeting in Paris today to share guidelines on communication, dissemination and exploitation of results 💡For the next two days, we will discuss the following steps to assess the sustainability of geographical indications all over Europe, including in the mountains ⛰️🌱🚜👩‍🌾 How to transition to more sustainable diet systems ? 🌱 How to implement the Farm to Fork Strategy?🥩🧀 how to develop a methodology to assess economic, social, environnemental dimensions of GIs sustainability?Pleased to be working on this key topic with INRAE and to continue collaboration with AREPO! More info on GI-SMART 🔗 www.euromontana.org/gi-smart/ ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

3 weeks ago

Euromontana
🌄 A week ago, we were opening the #MountainConvention2024 in the stunning Catalan Pyrenees! 🏔️✨ 250 mountain stakeholders came together in Puigcerdà to shape the #MountainEconomies of tomorrow! 💬 In the face of socio-economic, environmental, and demographic transitions, our economies must become 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 than ever! 💪🌱From fair remuneration of farmers & ecosystem services, to funding for the transition of mountain resorts, circular economy development for wool and wood products, support for entrepreneurship and interesting public procurement or taxes systems ... all a huge thank you to everyone for your energy and ideas! 🙌 These will be captured in the 𝐏𝐮𝐢𝐠𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚̀ 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, which will be presented on 11 December on International Mountain Day 📜🏔️🔜 Presentations and materials will soon be available! A special thank you to our co-organisers Territori. Generalitat de Catalunya. and CREAF, as well as our supporters Ajuntament de Puigcerdà , #NEMOR Network for European Mountain Research, European Rural Pact 🙏 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Euromontana sur Twitter