Debate on Structural Funds begins

NICVA welcomes the publication by the United Kingdom government of a consultation document on Structural Funds. NICVA’s Chief Executive, Seamus McAleavey, had written to Ian Pearson MP, Northern Ireland’s Minister for Finance and Personnel, in January to enquire how consultation might begin on future Northern Ireland programmes.

With the publication of the document, Ian Pearson MP said: “This is an important debate for everyone in the UK. EU enlargement has significantly changed the context in which Structural Funds operate and the need for reform is essential .

Northern Ireland has benefited significantly from Structural Funds in the past. Europe is now debating their future and I would encourage all organisations and individuals with an interest to come forward, by 4 July, with their views on the proposed style position ."

This is the UK Government’s position document for consultation and ultimate negotiation with the other member states of the European Union. It offers radical proposals to stop the recycling of money through the Structural Funds from – and then back to – the richer member states. The UK is proposing that regional policy be devolved to the most effective level (for the richer countries to opt out and fund their own regional policy in an agreed EU framework). That would mean, in effect, that the focus of Structural Funds would be on the Central and East European Accession countries. The door has been left open though for special programmes like Peace II in Northern Ireland in the future. The document recognises that peace and reconciliation is a long-term project in Northern Ireland.

If this position were to be agreed, a major outcome is that countries like the UK would pay much less into the EU funding pot. It might also be difficult to maintain a European wide regional policy that divides responsibilities and removes monetary sanctions from the European Commission. Clearly the European Commission itself would be the loser in terms of influence. However, the document is framed in European language. It’s no longer ‘get your tanks off our lawn’ but pushes subsidiarity as the driving force for change.

This is an important policy debate for voluntary and community organisations and Northern Ireland as a whole. NICVA will prepare a position paper shortly for groups, to inform the debate.

Consultation Document:
A Modern Regional Policy for the United Kingdom