EU wil regionale fondsen ter waarde van €105 miljard 'groen' investeren (en)
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission has announced some €105 billion are to be spent to create ‘green jobs and growth' via the European Union's cohesion funds - the policy that aims to remove disparities in wealth across the bloc.
The funds amount to around 30 percent of the EU's regional policy budget for the 2007-2013 period, and is about three times the sum allocated for similar works in the previous 2000-2006 budgetary period.
The announcement does not represent any new funds, but rather an acceleration of the dispersal of previously committed monies. The speeded up process forms part of the EU's plan to stimulate the foundering economy.
Much of the announced funds - a tranche of €54 billion - will go to aid EU member states to comply with European environmental legislation, while €28 billion will go to water and waste management improvement schemes.
"In a difficult financial climate, this investment will be instrumental in creating long-term employment and reviving local economies, as well as underpinning the EU's commitment to the fight against climate change," said regional policy commissioner Danuta Hubner i on Monday (9 March) when announcing the funds.
Another €48 billion will be committed to measures aimed at achieving EU climate objectives and creating a low carbon economy, including €23 billion for railways, €6 billion for public transport, €4.8 billion for renewable energy and €4.2 billion for energy efficiency.
Some €3 billion will also be set aside for the promotion of environmentally-friendly products and production processes in small businesses.
Romania and Bulgaria, for their part, are investing the highest proportion of cohesion funds on environment-related projects, at 45 percent and 42 percent of their allocation respectively.