Grass-roots approach to EU funding

"Poland is on par with the European average for EU funds absorption, but there are projects, for example those connected with roads, where payments are going through badly," said Danuta Hübner, the EU Commissioner responsible for Regio-nal Policy.

Last week she met with Jan Olbrycht, deputy chairman of the Committee of the Regions at the European Parliament, and representatives of Poland's voivodships.

Hübner urged local officials to speed up the passing on of relevant documents to the Finance Ministry and then to the European Commission in order to shorten the delays in allocating structural funds. She named this as the number-one cause for delays.

According to the Commissioner the budget should be agreed by the EU institutions by the end of March and be passed in May. In the meantime, the Polish regions are supposed to complete their operational projects in agreement with the Ministry of Regional Development and seek the Council of Ministers' approval. Hübner hopes the negotiations between the EU and the regions will finish by the end of 2006 and the regions will be able to start implementing their projects at the beginning of 2007.

Poland has EUR 12.8 (zł.49) billion worth of Structural and Cohesion Funds available to it between 2007 and 2013, but the first three years are the key period for Poland because the n+2 rule will take effect for the first time. The n+2 rule requires that investments be completed within two years of starting.

Hübner believes the new financial prospectus for 2007 and 2013 also requires a new approach from the EU institutions. "Different amounts of money call for a better system. Therefore, we will implement a more decentralized policy. We will also need strategic recommendations at the European level and a smaller number of documents required to benefit from the EU funds," said the Commissioner.