The European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, spent a day in Campania. After visiting the major restoration project of the archaeological site of Pompeii where, through an investment of over EUR 78 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 70 buildings have been restored and reopened to the public, the Commissioner met with the President of the Campania Region, Vincenzo De Luca, to take stock of the implementation of cohesion policy in Campania.
During the meeting, President De Luca reiterated his deep concerns about the failure of the Italian government to release complementary programming resources and Cohesion funds. An indecision that, the President complained, risks leading many municipalities to financial failure, further penalising the whole of southern Italy.
Commissioner Ferreira, not being able to enter, by role, into the substance of the controversy, has limited herself to reiterating how important it is to implement the Cohesion Policy to reduce inequalities and how important it is, for the whole of Europe, that the Mezzogiorno of Italy emerges from its difficult condition.
The Commissioner also recalled the essential role of the Regions in implementing Cohesion Policy. In this regard, the Commissioner recalled next week’s meeting in Brussels, where the European Week of Regions and Cities, during which it will engage with all regions of Europe with the aim of discussing what works in Cohesion Policy, what should perhaps be changed and also possible reforms to be implemented to improve the impact on the territories.
English (UK)