The document discusses simplification efforts for EU structural and investment funds (ESI funds) for 2014-2020. Key points: - Reforms to ESI funds aimed to maximize impact of available EU funding through greater thematic concentration, better focus on results, and simplified cost options. - Rules became more complex over time to reflect increased sophistication of cohesion policy but also led to "gold-plating" of rules. - The 2014-2020 legal framework includes common rules across five ESI funds in the Common Provisions Regulation along with other new provisions. - Efforts are underway to assess uptake of new simplification opportunities and recommendations to improve simplification for beneficiaries. Studies will help inform

1. Cohesion
policy
Simplification in ESI funds
for 2014-2020
Walter Deffaa
Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy
Sofia, 17 May 2016

2. 2
EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020: 1/3 of the EU budget
The reforms agreed for the 2014-2020
period are designed to maximise the
impact of the available EU funding.
The reforms agreed for the 2014-2020
period are designed to maximise the
impact of the available EU funding.
€1 082 billion
OVERALL EU 2014-2020 BUDGET
Other EU policies
Agruculture
Research
External
Etc.
€730.2 billion
67.5% 32.5%
€351.8 billion
COHESION POLICY
GROWTH

3. 3
Why has it become so complicated?
• Increasing size of rules period on
period to reflect the increased
sophistication of the policy
– want to do more with the policy.
• Responding to findings of the Court of Auditors, for
example on financial instruments to avoid "parking" of
funds.
• Too many layers of EU and national rules ('goldplating').

4. 4
Legal Framework for 2014-20?

5. 5
1. A set of common rules applicable to the five ESI Funds in the
Common Provisions Regulation.
2. Greater thematic concentration.
3. Better focus on results.
New provisions for 2014-20

6. 6
4. Simplified cost options (Article 67 CPR).
5. E-cohesion (Article 122(3) CPR).
6. Increased proportionality in relation to reporting, evaluation,
management and control.
New provisions for 2014-20

7. 7
Maximising the potential of simplification
options in 2014-20
• Independent High Level Group on monitoring of simplification
for beneficiaries making recommendations on how the uptake of
simplification opportunities for beneficiaries could be improved for
2014-2020 period.
 Recommendations already on e-Governance and Simplified Costs.
 Recommendation due in June on Financial Instruments and access
to EU Funds for SMEs.
• Study on simplification to assess the take up of the new
provisions in the regulations for 2014-20 has been launched and
will produce final results by the end of 2016.

8. 8
Building blocks for the future
• Recommendations of the High Level Group on monitoring of
simplification for beneficiaries for post 2020.
• Results of a series of studies launched to assess the new elements
of the 2014-20 period, analyse 2014-2020 programme
implementation and options to feed into the impact assessment
• Ex-post evaluation of 2007-2013 period.
• Input from EU Institutions and stakeholders such as workshops
organised by the Dutch Presidency and Committee of the Regions
on simplification.

9. Cohesion
policy
Thank you

10. Cohesion
policy
Thank you