Common Provisions Regulation

The Common Provision Regulation (CPR) determines how European financial resources for regional and structural funding may be spent. This concerns about one third of the total EU budget – over 380 billion euros. This money is used to finance construction projects throughout the EU, provide economic aid or promote social projects. The CPR is therefore one of the most important documents in Europe. It is a key document that determines the direction in which the Union will develop. The paper is currently in the trilogue negotiations. The new CPR, which will be adopted in the coming months, will then apply for the years 2021 to 2027.

Regional development — how can the money be spent?

Probably few EU citizens know what is behind the Common Provision Regulation (CPR) – one of the most important documents of the European Union. After all, the CPR decides on around one third of the entire EU budget. That is over 380 billion euros.

This money is available for European regional and structural funding. The CPR defines how it may be spent. Under which conditions, for example, construction projects can be carried out, economic aid can be provided or social projects can be supported. Where this money may be spent – and where not – has a huge impact on the future of Europe as a whole. A real change in policy can only succeed if we change the financial parameters. The challenges are great. We must prevent that

  • the money flows into climate-damaging projects
  • large corporations pocket the money to increase dividends
  • authoritarian governments misuse money to dismantle democracy, the rule of law and persecute minorities

Instead we need

  • Billions invested in renewable energies, sustainable and regional production and the protection of flora and fauna
  • broad citizen participation and simplified funding procedures
  • a corruption-proof structural policy that benefits the entire population – and not just friends of autocrats

In the coming CPR, which will apply for the next seven years, we will not succeed in doing all this. At the moment, I’m mainly trying to limit the damage. But my goal is clear: I want to set the course for a fundamental reorganization of the CPR in the next few years.

I am committed to using 380 billion euros to promote a climate-friendly, solidarity-based and inclusive society in Europe!

Related News

CPR-Trilogue: Compromise on Co-Financing Rates

Council and Parliament made some progress at yesterday’s trilogue negotiations on the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) on the issue of co-financing rates. With the compromise reached, the Commission’s proposed reduction of the co-financing rates to 70 percent for less developed regions, 55 percent for transitional regions and 40 percent for more developed regions was softened. …

Read more

Background Information: EU Corona Response Investment Initiatives (CRII & CRII+)

An article in the German newspaper Der Spiegel which heavily criticizes the EU for allocating a disproportionate amount of money to Hungary under the EU’s Corona response investment initiatives has created a public debate in Germany. With this paper I would like to briefly illuminate the background to you and correct the figures and information…

Read more