MEP to endorse Commission's ERDF proposals
The European Commission's proposals for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2000-2006 will receive a broad endorsement by German MEP Helmuth Markov, reporting on the Commission's draft Communication at the part session on 14 December. The new proposals concern three areas of the modern economy: the development of a regional economy based on knowledge and technological innovation, support for the Commission's eEurope initiative aimed at promoting the information society, and an extension of this initiative to the regions, regional identity and sustainable development. Mr Markov, reporting on behalf of the Regional Policy Committee, generally supports this choice of priority areas. The resources available will amount to 0.4 per cent of the ERDF annual budget, amounting to 400 million euro for the seven year period. Mr Markov stresses that this should be an absolute minimum considering the importance of innovative measures in regional development. He would however prefer to see a programme-based rather than a project-based approach to financing, which he believes means a loss of European added value, visibility and closeness to the citizen. Mr Markov is also concerned that the disappearance of transnational partnerships will mean an excessive reduction in the European exchange of innovations.