Background & Purpose
The previous system with regional partnerships prioritizing EU-funded projects faced criticism for conflicting with EU law and causing confusion about responsibilities.
Proposals & Debate
The government proposed dissolving the specific legal framework for structural fund partnerships, shifting decision-making power for projects entirely to the managing authorities while keeping regional cooperation purely strategic.
The Decision
Parliament approved the government's proposal to dismantle the structural fund partnerships framework.
Does this affect you?
- Regional development actors: Shift from deciding on individual EU projects to maintaining a purely strategic role.
- Managing authorities for EU funds: Gain full responsibility for the entire application and decision-making process.
- Project applicants: Deal directly with managing authorities instead of regional partnerships for funding decisions.
In Practice
- The Act on Structural Fund Partnerships ceases to apply.
- Managing authorities take full responsibility for handling applications and deciding on prioritized projects.
- Regional partnerships shift to focus strictly on broader strategic development rather than project selection.
- Roles and responsibilities regarding EU funding are streamlined to comply with EU regulations.