European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): eligibility of housing interventions in favour of marginalised communities

2009/0105(COD)

The Committee on Regional Development adopted the report drawn up by Lambert van NISTELROOIJ (EPP, NL), amending under the first reading of the codecision procedure, the proposal for a regulation (EC) No .../2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 on the European Regional Development Fund as regards the eligibility of housing interventions in favour of marginalised communities.

The main amendments were as follows:

  • according to MEPs, the new provision about housing interventions for marginalized communities should concern all Member States and not only those that acceded to the EU on or after 1 May 2004;
  • expenditures on the renovation of existing housing or on its replacement, including by newly constructed housing, should also be eligible;
  • intervention in the field of housing for marginalised communities should have the objective of furthering the sustainable integration of these communities;
  • lastly, MEPs propose that the European Commission may continue to carry out its original duty assigned by the regulation in the field of evaluation and fixation of criteria for the interventions, in particular in the sector of housing interventions in the new Member States, in order to guarantee efficiency and added value in politics, also in consideration of its cost.