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Réforme du cadre de gouvernance économique de l’UE

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Opinion Number: CDR 157/2023
Rapporteur: DI RUPO Elio
Commission: ECON
Status: Adopted
Date: 10/10/2023
 
The main objective of this opinion is to strengthen public debt sustainability while also promoting sustainable and inclusive growth and facilitating public investments and reforms, particularly in the green and digital transitions.

The opinion seeks to strengthen national ownership for Member States and recognise country specific regional and national situations.

The CoR supports the principle of a possible extension to the fiscal adjustment period in specific cases including for investments and reforms aimed at promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion; the UN SDGs; the EU Green Deal; and the digital transition.

The CoR supports allowing specific treatment for national or regional co-financing of projects funded by the EU, for example projects related to cohesion.
At the Plenary debate for this opinion on 10 October 2023, guest speaker MEP Margarida Marques (co-rapporteur for the EP report on economic governance reform together with Esther de Lange) highlighted her good cooperation and discussions with the CoR rapporteur, stressing that this had strongly influenced her own report. She recognised the local and regional relevance of this reform and stated that many of the EP's priorities are in line with that of the CoR, particularly in terms of facilitating public investments and reforms in the green and digital transitions.

Importantly, the draft report of Ms Marques and Ms De Lange (PR(2023)754668) proposes to amend the Commission's proposal as regards the definition of next expenditure, notably adding an exclusion for expenditure on co-financing of programs funded by the EU (capped at 0.25% of GDP). It is scheduled for adoption in the ECON committee in November 2023.

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ECA report on economic governance

On 7 November 2023, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) published its analysis of the European Commission’s proposal to reform the EU's economic governance framework. While auditors commend the move and the efforts involved, they also point to challenges and risks to the effective coordination of economic policies in the EU.

The ECA notably highlights that the proposals do not sufficiently address the issue of involving local and regional authorities (LRAs) in the European Semester in order to increase national ownership. The report highlights how this creates a challenge in implementing country-specific recommendations as it is crucial for LRAs to have an active role in implementation.

 
07 Nov
 

Adoption of the Opinion by the CoR Plenary Session

On 10 October 2023, the CoR Plenary Session adopted its position on the Reform of Economic Governance, in an opinion led by Elio Di Rupo (BE/PES), Minister-President of Wallonia.

The CoR called for changes to European fiscal rules to make them more effective and increase their democratic legitimacy.

Margardia Marques, European Parliament co-rapporteur on this reform, took part in the Plenary debate with members and highlighted that the CoR opinion had strongly influenced her own report.

Rapporteur Di Rupo said: “While in 2022, 19 out of the 27 Member States had either a debt above 60% GDP or an annual deficit of more than 3%, the existential question is simple: is the new economic governance at the service of a better European future? We support the approach of gradually reducing the public debt of the most indebted countries, while providing the necessary fiscal space for public investment in the climate and digital transitions. Secondly, the rules imposed must recognise the specificity of national and regional situations while ensuring fair treatment of all Member States. Finally, specific treatment should be given to national or regional co-financing of all projects co-financed by the EU, such as cohesion projects.”

 
10 Oct
 

Adoption of the draft opinion in ECON

On 7 June, the draft opinion on the reform of the economic governance framework was adopted by the members of the ECON Commission.

The rapporteur, Elio Di Rupo (BE/PES), Minister-President of the Wallonia Region, said: "The status quo is not an option. Reform of the EU's economic governance is inevitable given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. There is a need for investments into the green and digital transitions of €650 billion per year over the next decade and almost €200 billion per year for social infrastructure. To strengthen public investment, the very least would be to exempt all expenditure incurred by Member States and local and regional authorities as part of Cohesion funds co-financing and Union programmes from fiscal surveillance."

 
07 Jun
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