Deadline for disbursement of funds from the cohesion policy programming period 2007-2013

19.6.2015

Question for written answer E-010078-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Ivan Jakovčić (ALDE)

According to a state audit report, the use of EU funds in Croatia for the period of 2007-2013 was only partly successful. There is a risk that resources will not be fully used because the dynamics of contracting and payouts is below the required level and there is a discrepancy between planning and performance at the level of individual ministries. Incidentally, Croatia is included in the Commission programme which uses a special task force to provide support for a better use of cohesion policy funds.

Since payments to users for the previous programming period of 2007-2013 must be made by the end of 2016, is there a possibility to extend that deadline if necessary given that Croatia as a new Member State became entitled to use funds from that programming period only towards the end of the said period?