Delrio-Hahn: "Positive discussions on EU funds 

The EU Commissioner responsible for regional policy, Hahn and the Italian Undersecretary responsible for territorial cohesion, Delrio meet at Palazzo Chigi.

On the occasion of the official visit of the European Commissioner responsible for regional policy, Johannes Hahn i, during the six-month Italian Presidency of the EU Council, there has been a bilateral meeting with the Undersecretary to the Italian Presidency of Council, responsible for territorial cohesion, Graziano Delrio, focusing on the process of defining the Partnership Agreement and the Operational Programmes for the period 2014-2020.

At the end of the meeting the Commissioner Hahn and the Undersecretary Delrio issued the following joint declaration: “We have held positive and detailed discussions concerning the important topic of the use in Italy of the European new generation investments of the Cohesion policy as well as open issues relating to the Partnership Agreement. Based on these discussions, we trust that we will be able to conclude negotiations and adopt the Partnership Agreement in September.

We stress that the key elements of these negotiations must be the quality and efficacy of the programming process so that such investments and national co-financing can drive development and employment in Italian regions. We are also making progress in the Operational Programmes, the bulk of which will hopefully be adopted after the end of 2014.