Spanish Presidency: Priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy Vicente Rodríguez BRUSSELS 28 JANUARY 2010

Spanish priorities: I. Legislative issues II. Strategic reporting III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy IV. Other events

I. Legislative issues Regulation amending ERDF Regulation (COMM) 1080/2006 Different speeds: At the Council: adoption of a common position + signature of ERDF statement signed by the COMM and MS except Germany, Hungary and Czech Republic. At the EP: Inter-institutional agreement on Comitology under the Lisbon Treaty, already agreed by the COMM and the Council, needs still to be adopted by the EP. 3 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

I. Legislative issues Council Regulation amending General Regulation (COMM)1083/2006 Different speeds: At the Council: agreement reached the 20th November at COREPER At the EP: Announced during the Plenary session, 18-21 January 04/02, Conference of Committee Chairs will decide on REGI/EMPL matters International Fund for Ireland Need of changing the legal basis At SAWP, 15th February 4 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

II. Strategic Reporting According to arts.29 and 30 of Regulation 1083/2006 The COMM will publish its Strategic Report It should be delivered by the 1st of April. It will be based on reports presented by all MS on the contribution of EU Funds to the achievement of their objectives and functions, as well as to priorities of strategic guidelines, issued at the beginning of the period. Spanish Presidency priorities from April 2010 Following art.30.2, the COMM shall submit its strategic report to the Council as well as to other institutions in order to have a debate on it. At Council level, the debate will take place at SAWP, COREPER and CAG. 5 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Informal Ministerial Meeting on Regional Policy, 19 February, Zaragoza Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE 2010), High Level Conference, 15-17 March, Granada Coordination Committee of Funds, 27 and 28 May, Barcelona Events related to European Social Fund 6 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Informal Ministerial Meeting on Regional Policy When: 19 February Venue: Zaragoza, (region of Aragón) 25 January, High Level Group: Director General meeting Presentation of how DG EMPL, DG AGRI, DG MARE and DG TREN are working on the future of Cohesion Policy; Presentation of EU2020 outcomes; Discussion on Samecki’s Orientation paper. 7 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Informal Ministerial Meeting on Regional Policy Main issues to be tackled: The future of Cohesion Policy; Territorial Cohesion; Key messages for the simplification of Cohesion Policy for the new programming period. - Result of the Informal Meeting: Summary of discussions to be published after the meeting. 8 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE2010), 15-17 March, Granada. High level conference organised by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, together with the COMM. High level forum for discussion of stakeholder’s good practices and ideas on how to make the best of European, National and Regional funding for R&D and Innovation. Objective: to move from “synergies of policies” to “synergies of actions” for the optimal use of existing EU instruments in order to make regions full protagonists in building the knowledge-based society. 9 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE2010), 15-17 March, Granada. WIRE 2010 is the result of merging 3 conferences Conference on the efficient and effective use of budget earmarked in Structural Funds for RTD and Innovation, including their synergies with the 7th Framework Programme (FP7), and the Competitiveness Innovation Programme (CIP). “Research potential” Conference, focused on the assessment of results and the identification of best practices of the Research Potential Programme (REGPOT) within the FP7 Capacities programme. Regions of knowledge Conference, which deals with the assessment of the results and the identification of best practices of Regions of Knowledge (REGIONS) within the FP7 Capacities programme. 10 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE2010), 15-17 March, Granada. Main topics to be discussed: Aggregation of good practices found in the development of the 2 programmes Research Potential Programme (REGPOT) and Regions of Knowledge (REGIONS) within the Seven Framework Programme (FP7), as well as in Structural Funds. Synergies between the different innovation instruments, including those of Structural Funds. For further information: www.micinn.es/wire2010 11 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Meeting of the Coordination Committee of Funds When: 27 and 28 May Venue: Barcelona Main issues to be discussed: Exchange of views on the progress implementation of the Regional Policy measures for the Economic Recovery at national level Sites visits 12 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy Events related to ESF Different Conferences in Spain on: EU2020 Employment Health and Safety at work Equality Social Security Social Protection Activities of the ESF Committee Ad-hoc group on the future of the ESF 13 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy European Social Fund Committee ESF Committee Ad-hoc Group on the future of the ESF Created by the ESF Committee to discuss the future of the ESF with a view to making a contribution to the future orientations of the ESF. Mandate: to prepare a draft opinion on the future of the ESF taking particular account of the following themes: Future objectives and priorities of the ESF Future scope of the ESF (policy fields, innovation, trans-nationality) Geographical coverage and added value Delivery modes and instruments Complementarity between the ESF and other relevant EU instruments 14 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

III. Main Events related to Cohesion Policy European Social Fund Committee Events under the Spanish Presidency Evaluation Group, 16 March, Sevilla. Technical Group of the ESF Committee meeting, 17-18 March, Sevilla (The Ad hoc Group will present an interim report to the ESF Committee) ESF Committee, 19 March, Sevilla ESF Committee Ad-hoc Group on the future of the ESF, June. - Previous meetings: December’09, January’10 - The Ad hoc Group will present the final draft report and opinion to the ESF Committee 15 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

IV. Other Events Informal Ministerial Meeting on Territorial Governance, 16 - 18 March, Málaga. (Ministry of Territorial Policy) General Directors Meeting on Territorial Agenda and its Action Plan, 10 and 11 May, Sevilla. (Ministry of Environment) Forum on Outermost regions, 27 and 28 May, Brussels. Organised by the Commission together with the Spanish Presidency. Informal Ministerial Meeting on Housing and Urban development, 21 and 22 June, Toledo. (Ministry of Housing) - Director General Meetings: Madrid, 27 April: DG Meeting (Housing) Madrid, 28 April: DG Meeting (Urban Development) 16 Spanish Presidency: priorities in the field of Cohesion Policy

Thank you for your attention.