EU Funds change economic structures of Member States

Some years ago I was involved in arranging a debate in the European Parliament about the transformation of national administrations in order to maximize the absorption of EU funds. It generated a very interesting discussion and I give you are some quotes from the panel:

“The prosperity of the EU project needs to be explained to the citizens”

(MEP Miguel Angel MARTÍNEZ, Vice-president European Parliament)

“It’s very important that each of the regions develop a strategy for the next 10-15 years” 

(MEP Constanze KREHL, member of the Regional Development Committee)

“The Spanish who work abroad help the development of their country”

“The TGV changed the economic structure of Spain”

“We had the same government in Spain for 14 years: 4 years to prepare the accession into the EU, and 10 years to take advantage of the membership”

“To ensure good coordination, we appointed in Spain ‘super-minister’ already before the accession, responsible for concrete projects for the development of the country. Immediately after accession they went to Brussels with plans for these projects they needed to do”

(MEP Inés AYALA SENDER, Spanish Socialist)

“Before you start to structurally change the administration of a country, it is necessary to do assess the philosophy of that state. The culture and political traditions of each state are important. It’s also important to take into consideration the external conditions, like the opportunities of EU funds”

“In order to have a strong regional development, you need to have strong regions”

(MEP Jan OLBRYCHT, Polish Christian Democrat)

“We need to launch a serious reform in Romania and to go towards a strategic model, a model that transcends the electoral cycles in order to have a better absorption of EU funds”

(MEP Victor BOSTINARU, Member of the Regional Development Committee)

Dan LUCA - Brussels