On Friday 12 October, the Government of Flanders took note of a Communication on the evaluation of EFSI (the European Fund for Strategic Investments) in Flanders. The main conclusions of the evaluation are the following.
The reporting of the EIB Group on EFSI appears to contain inadequate detail that allows to evaluate the allocation of EFSI funds to Flanders in a direct way. The evaluation of the EFSI funds allocated to Flanders was only possible through intensive contact between PMV and EIB. The first conclusion is that there is a need for more transparency in the allocation of EFSI funds at regional level - certainly in the case of Belgium. In this context, it is also desirable that Flanders and the EIB Group maintain direct contact at regular intervals.
The EFSI funds that flow to Flanders are relatively modest compared to the funds spent within the EU. As the central point of contact in Flanders, PMV will co-evaluate EFSI for how the flows to Flanders can be increased, also in the context of the likely roll-out of Invest-EU as a follow-up to EFSI from 2021. On 6 June 2018, the Commission presented its proposal for the successor of the Juncker plan for the next multi-annual financial framework: the InvestEU program. The position of the Government of Flanders in relation to InvestEU will be determined by the Government of Flanders together with the other proposals from the European Commission for the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
The following points presented by Flanders during the EFSI 2.0 negotiations seem to remain relevant for InvestEU:
• The importance of additionality. The interpretation of additionality may vary per region / state within Europe depending on the specific financing needs for each region / state. The Government of Flanders would like to see the regional specificity put more clearly.
• A focus on cross-border transport, energy and digital projects.