Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-09-24-Speech-2-161"
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"en.20020924.10.2-161"2
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"Thank you, Mr President, Commissioner Barnier. On behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, I must express our concerns regarding the implementation of the budget for the European Social Fund. The Social Fund plays an important role, of course, in the development of poor regions and of the European Employment Strategy, and it will indeed also be very important in connection with the forthcoming enlargement. In this area too, moreover, we see the build-up of outstanding commitments, something which we regard as a problem. Now, Commissioner Barnier has just presented a communication on developments concerning the implementation of the Structural Funds, providing us with a number of explanations as to why larger outstanding commitments than expected are accumulating, and that is something for which we should thank the Commissioner. There are of course new rules and procedures for the 2000-2006 programming which are to be incorporated, and the Member States have apparently overestimated the ability to implement the projects in the first few years. What basis have we, however, for believing that things will be much better over the next few years, apart from the incentives contained in the ‘N+2’ rule (otherwise known as the ‘sunset clause’) according to which the money is lost if too long a period elapses before the payments are utilised? As MEPs, we constantly hear complaints that this is an unwieldy system. A good overdraft facility at the bank is needed if money from the Social Fund is to be received. It is the long time it takes to make the payments that is a problem, and one that the Commission must do something about. We are also told that the rules and procedures are too complicated, and it was agreed in July that Parliament and the Council should simplify matters in order to encourage utilisation of the funds. You too, Mr Barnier, have put simplification on the agenda. How quickly will it be possible, however, for the work on simplification to take effect? Will it have done so by 2003? What are the deadlines for this work? Thank you, Mr President."@en1
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