New EU fund can strengthen small businesses and regions – if designed right
The EU wants to merge 12 funds into a new competitiveness fund to strengthen industry and innovation. The Europaforum Norra Sverige (EFNS) network, of which Region Norrbotten is a member, is urging the Commission to design the fund so that it leads to growth throughout the EU. It is important that small businesses, municipalities and regions have a clear role in the fund, says EFNS.
The EU has put competitiveness high on the political agenda. In its proposal, the Commission wants to create a new Competitiveness Fund of around EUR 234 billion. EFNS welcomes the initiative and sees great opportunities in the new fund.
– The EU's new Competitiveness Fund has a great opportunity to strengthen Europe's industry by including small businesses and regions. That is where much of the driving force, innovation and future solutions lie, says Anders Öberg (S), chairman of the regional board in Norrbotten. He is also a rapporteur for the Europaforum Northern Sweden.
Ten percent to small businesses
However, EFNS believes that the rules are unclear and give the EU Commission great influence over how the money is used. It is important that the fund is designed in an inclusive way.
In its position on the proposal, EFNS particularly highlights the need to strengthen the opportunities of small businesses. EFNS wants the fund to also be able to finance regional and municipal investments that make industrial establishment possible.
To ensure that micro and small businesses are not left out, EFNS wants to:
- at least 10 percent of the fund's money is earmarked for them
- Applications will become simpler and less administratively complicated.
Municipalities and regions should be able to receive support
As we have seen in Norrbotten, large industrial ventures do not work without local and regional investments. The municipalities and regions must contribute with infrastructure, housing, skills supply and community planning.
Therefore, EFNS wants regions and municipalities to be able to receive support directly from the fund. The support should be able to finance regional and municipal investments that make industrial establishment possible.
– By giving regions and municipalities a clear role in the fund, strong conditions are created for investments, jobs and sustainable growth throughout Europe, says Johan Loock (M), regional politician in Jämtland Härjedalen and rapporteur in the Europaforum Northern Sweden.
The goal is for the EU's new Competitiveness Fund to strengthen the industrial development of all of Europe - including regions in northern Sweden.
Read the full position from EFNS here
FACTS: Europaforum Northern Sweden
How do EU strategies, action programs, laws and budgets affect northern Sweden? Europaforum Norra Sverige is a political network between the four northernmost counties in Sweden, where EU issues are analyzed and discussed. The aim is to present northern Sweden's perspective and contribute to EU policy that benefits our part of the European Union.
The work in EFNS is based on common positions. The positions are always adopted after unanimous decisions by representatives of different counties, so-called rapporteurs. The EFNS network operates across party lines to safeguard the interests of northern Sweden.
