This Commission report is the first in a series of
annual reports to the EU institutions on the implementation of the
European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds). It provides
an overview of the 2016 annual implementation reports on the 533
programmes submitted by Member States and regions for the 2014-2015
period and summarises the available evaluations of these
programmes.
The late adoption of the multiannual financial
framework for the period 2014-2020
has had an impact on the adoption of legislation governing the ESI
Funds. By the end of 2014, 220 programmes had been adopted.
However, the majority (313) of programmes were finalised in 2015
181 of which were completed only in the second half of the
year.
Progress in implementation: on the basis of the 2016 annual implementation reports
covering 2014 and 2015, it appears that the total volume of
projects selected for support from the Funds amounted to EUR
58.8 billion, or 9.2% of the total volume of investment planned
for the 2014-2020 period. The EU’s contribution to the
selected projects is estimated at EUR 41.8 billion.
- According to the most recent financial data submitted
up to the autumn of 2016, implementation has accelerated
significantly in terms of the volume of project selection. The
total financial volume of selected projects more than doubled in
nine months, from EUR 58.8 billion at the end of 2015 to EUR
128.8 billion (20.2% of planned investments).
- By the end of 2015, the Member States and regions had
selected 989 000 projects ranging from investments in heavy
infrastructure to individual support to farms and fishing
businesses. A total of 274 000 businesses benefited from
the selected operations. More than 10% of Fisheries Local Action
Groups (FLAGs) are operational and local development strategies are
selected ;
- At the time of the adoption of the programmes, about
75% of all conditionalities to ensure investment effectiveness (ex
ante conditions) were met. In this context, Finland for example
adopted national legislation that ensures administrative capacity
is available to comply with the implementation of a control
inspection and enforcement system required by the common fisheries
policy;
- The implementation of programme structures and
procedures to ensure the robustness and quality of investments
throughout the programme life cycle has been important for the
successful launch of the programmes.
- Lastly, more than two-thirds of the country-specific
recommendations adopted in 2014 in the context of the European
Semester concerned investments under the ESI Funds and were
therefore integrated into the priorities of the Member States’
programmes.
Implementation by theme: the report provides an overview of the financial
volume and the selection rate of projects for the ESI Funds by
thematic objective at the end of 2015. The main findings are
as follows:
- in total, around EUR 181 billion was provided for
investments in the area of research and innovation, information and
communications technology and SME competitiveness, mainly from the
ERDF and the EAFRD. The competitiveness of SMEs is a priority under
the ERDF, EAFRD and European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)
programmes. At the end of 2015, support of EUR 7.5 billion was
allocated to specific projects (8.9% of the total planned). Around
80% of the EMFF projects planned over the period aim to strengthen
SMEs and increase the competitiveness of the fleet and of
aquaculture enterprises;
- at the end of 2015, an amount of over EUR 20 billion
was already allocated to specific projects in the fields of the
low-carbon economy (EUR 2.3 billion), climate change
(EUR 6.6 billion), the environment and transport (EUR 7.6
billion), and energy networks (EUR 4.1 billion),
representing around 9% of the total amount across all the funds
contributing directly (ERDF, Cohesion Fund, EAFRD and EMFF). The
majority of selected projects aim at protecting and restoring
marine biodiversity by increasing physical control of landings and
lowering the volume of unwanted catches;
- projects representing more than EUR 11.5 billion (more
than 12% of the planned amount) were selected in the field of
employment, social inclusion and education. In Denmark and
Sweden, projects have been selected under the EMFF supporting
employability and labour mobility in coastal
communities.
The Commission now considers it vital that the
implementation of the new programmes is accelerated
throughout the European Union.
Recent data show a more uniform state of advancement
in most Member States and themes. The evolution of these trends
will be further evaluated in the 2017 reporting cycle, which will
provide a more comprehensive picture of implementation and allow
for better reporting on a qualitative level.