Strasbourg (F), 7th June 2011

The report of the Special Committee on Policy Challenges and Budgetary Resources for a Sustainable European Union after 2013 (SURE) to be presented tomorrow during the plenary session of the European parliament addresses the following key issues, which are necessary to ensure the sustainable and cohesive development of the European territory:

• Simplifying and better controlling the implementation of structural funds by applying the principle of proportionality;
• Increasing support to SMEs and addressing the difficulties they face when coping with the red-tape often associated with EU support schemes;
• Ensuring continuous support to all European regions, including intermediary regions, in order to provide them with a clearer status and a more equitable situation.

The AER firmly supports the report’s recommendation to earmark a budget envelope for cohesion policy at least equal to that of the current period.

The AER will follow tomorrow’s debate attentively and hopes that it will lead to the adoption of the SURE report by a large majority of MEPs.

For more information: [email protected]