EN

[pic] | EVROPSKA KOMISIJA |

Brussels, 19.10.2010

Bruselj, 19.10.2010

COM(2010) 700 final

COM(2010) 700 konč.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS AND THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS

SPOROČILO KOMISIJE EVROPSKEMU PARLAMENTU, SVETU, EVROPSKEMU EKONOMSKO-SOCIALNEMU ODBORU, ODBORU REGIJ IN NACIONALNIM PARLAMENTOM

Pregled proračuna EU

{SEC(2010) 7000 konč.}

The EU Budget Review

SPOROČILO KOMISIJE EVROPSKEMU PARLAMENTU, SVETU, EVROPSKEMU EKONOMSKO-SOCIALNEMU ODBORU, ODBORU REGIJ IN NACIONALNIM PARLAMENTOM

{SEC(2010) 7000 final}

Pregled proračuna EU

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS AND THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS

Odločitev o celovitem, obsežnem pregledu porabe in virov EU je bila sprejeta leta 2006[1]. Odkar je Komisija dobila to nalogo, so se gospodarske razmere zelo spremenile. Zaradi svetovne gospodarske krize je javna poraba postala osrednja tema političnih razprav v evropskih državah. Vsepovsod po Evropski uniji se sprejemajo težke odločitve. Pri prednostnih področjih javne porabe prihaja do sprememb, kakršnih ni bilo že desetletja.

Hkrati pa je imela javna poraba odločilno vlogo v procesu okrevanja. Finančna spodbuda, o kateri je bil sprejet dogovor ob koncu leta 2008, je preprečila najhujše posledice krize. Spodbuda je bila premišljeno usmerjena na področja, na katerih bi se v prihodnosti predvidoma obrestovala: na politike, ki spodbujajo rast, strateško infrastrukturo in zagotavljanje, da pretres ne bi izničil ključnih znanj in sredstev.

Pregled torej prihaja v času, ko so za državljane na prvem mestu določanje prednostnih področij, dodana vrednost in kakovost porabe. Gre za rezultat dolgotrajnega procesa posvetovanj in razmisleka[2], ki je omogočil, da so prišle na dan obetavne ideje o tem, kako čim bolje določiti prednostna področja proračuna za doseganje ciljev EU ter pri tem izhajati iz politik EU in podpirati strategijo Evropa 2020; kako lahko proračun kar najučinkoviteje daje rezultate in kako z novega zornega kota poiskati najboljši način za zagotavljanje virov, potrebnih za financiranje politik EU.

The EU Budget Review

Javna poraba je sredstvo za dosego cilja. Naša krovna prednostna naloga je rast za delovna mesta s poudarkom na povečanju zaposlenosti, izboljšanju konkurenčnosti naših podjetij ter vzpostavitvi odprtega in modernega enotnega trga.

The decision to undertake a full, wide-ranging review of EU spending and resources was agreed in 2006 [1]. The economic climate has radically changed since the mandate was given; and the global economic crisis has put public spending at the heart of the political debate in European countries. Throughout the European Union, difficult choices are being made. Public spending priorities are being challenged in a way not seen for decades.

Komisija mora svoje predloge za naslednji večletni finančni okvir predstaviti do 1. julija 2011. Pregled obravnava nekatera vprašanja, s katerimi se bo proračun EU soočil v naslednjem okviru in obdobju po njem. EU mora upoštevati učinek gospodarske in fiskalne krize, pa tudi dolgoročne izzive, kot so demografske spremembe, soočanje s podnebnimi spremembami in omejenost naravnih virov. Glavno vprašanje ni, ali porabljati več ali manj, temveč je treba poiskati načine za pametnejšo porabo. Predstaviti moramo celostno vizijo proračunske reforme, ki bo vključevala tako odhodkovno kot prihodkovno stran proračuna.

At the same time, public spending has played a key role in the process of recovery. The stimulus agreed at the end of 2008 prevented the worst of the crisis. Intelligent targeting meant that stimulus was directed at areas which could pay off for the future: at growth-enhancing policies, at strategic infrastructure, at preventing key skills and key assets from being wiped out by the shock.

Dogovor o tem, kako naprej, bo za Evropsko unijo velik izziv, hkrati pa tudi pomemben dosežek. To bo jasen znak, da je Evropska unija kos nalogi, da z uporabo orodij, ki so ji na voljo, svojim državljanom resnično zagotovi več.

This review therefore comes forward at a time when prioritisation, added value and a high quality of spending are uppermost in the minds of citizens. It follows a long process of consultation and reflection [2] which allowed promising ideas to be floated about how the budget can best be targeted to secure the EU's objectives, be policy-driven and promote the Europe 2020 strategy; about how the budget can deliver in the most effective way possible; and about how to take a fresh look at the best way of providing the resources necessary to fund EU policies.

1. Kaj smo se naučili iz izkušenj pri današnjem proračunu?

Public spending is a means to an end and growth for jobs is our overarching priority, concentrating on getting more people in jobs, boosting our companies' competitiveness and building an open and modern single market.

Lizbonska pogodba je uvedla novo pravno okolje za večletni finančni okvir. Potrdila je potrebo po srednjeročnem pristopu k porabi EU in načelo, da se EU financira z lastnimi sredstvi. To pomeni, da je pregled sicer usmerjen v prihodnost, vendar se precej opira tudi na izkušnje, pridobljene v sedanjem obdobju financiranja.

The Commission must present its proposals for the next multiannual financial framework before 1 July 2011. This review sets out some of the issues facing the EU budget for the next framework and beyond. How the EU must take account of both the impact of the economic and fiscal crisis and long-term challenges like demographic change, the need to address climate change and pressure on natural resources. How the issue is not first and foremost about spending more or less, but about finding ways to spend more intelligently. How we need to present a holistic vision of budget reform, covering both the expenditure and the revenue side of the budget.

Do zdaj se je proračun EU izkazal kot učinkovito orodje za uresničevanje ciljev in izvajanje politik EU. Pomembno je prispeval k nalogi krepitve rasti in ustvarjanja novih delovnih mest, spodbujanja raziskav, konkurenčnosti in znanj ter zagotavljanja, da Unija tistim, ki najbolj potrebujejo solidarnost, daje posebno podporo. Poseben poudarek je dal prednostnim projektom, med drugim spodbudi, ki je bila potrebna ob izbruhu gospodarske krize. Okrepil je varnost Unije, zagotovil pomoč stotinam milijonom najrevnejših prebivalcev sveta, pospešil razvoj sosednjih držav in promoviral politike EU po vsem svetu.

Agreeing the way forward will be a major challenge for the European Union, but also a major prize. It would represent a powerful signal that the European Union is equal to the task of harnessing the tools at its disposal to make a real difference for its citizens.

Prizadevati si je treba za čim učinkovitejšo uporabo proračuna za uresničevanje ciljev EU. Da bi to dosegli, je treba upoštevati nekatere ključne ugotovitve, ki izhajajo iz dosedanjih izkušenj:

1. What lessons from the Budget today?

- Večletni finančni okviri EU od uvedbe leta 1988 zagotavljajo strogo proračunsko disciplino in srednjeročno predvidljivost odhodkov EU. Vendar pa so zaradi predvidljivosti odhodki manj prilagodljivi. V zadnjih letih se je pokazalo, da se finančni okvir in programi znotraj njega niso mogli vedno odzivati na politične prioritete in spreminjajoče se razmere. Ob odločitvah, da zagotovi dodatno pomoč državam v razvoju, ko so cene hrane v letu 2008 skokovito narasle, da se odzove na spreminjajoče se zahteve pomembnih evropskih projektov, kot sta Galileo in ITER (zaradi dolgih izvedbenih rokov in rastočih stroškov), da prispeva h gospodarski spodbudi v obdobju 2008–2009 ali da reagira na svetovne krize, npr. cunami, je EU naletela na pretirano neprilagodljivost sedanjega sistema. Ta sredstva je zagotovila s težavo, pri čemer je morala uporabiti nepričakovane rezerve v drugih delih proračuna. Celo znotraj programov je bilo zaradi ovir pri spreminjanju prednostnih področij težje nameniti ustrezno prednost novim problemom (npr. nujnim zadevam na področju javnega zdravja), preoblikovati potrebe po usposabljanju po krizi ali upoštevati spreminjajoče se odnose med Unijo in gospodarstvi v vzponu. Proračun torej ni omogočil odzivanja na nepričakovane dogodke, kar je ne le povečalo operativno breme EU, temveč tudi poslabšalo njen ugled.

The Lisbon Treaty has introduced a new legal setting for the multiannual financial framework. It confirmed the need to provide a medium-term approach to EU spending, as well as the principle that the EU is financed by Own Resources. This means that the review process – while looking ahead – has also drawn heavily on the experience of the current financing period.

- Še en nepredviden dogodek preteklih let je bila gospodarska kriza, ki je s svojimi posledicami vplivala na razpravo o gospodarskem upravljanju. Ta je izpostavila medsebojno odvisnost gospodarstev EU in potrebo po okrepitvi skupnih pravil. Uporaba proračuna kot jamstva za podporo evropskemu mehanizmu za stabilizacijo se je izkazala kot inovativen način uporabe proračuna v primerih nujnih potreb politik, čeprav je proračun zelo strogo omejen z zgornjo mejo lastnih sredstev. Poleg tega je bilo predlagano, da bi se pogojevanje prejema sredstev EU lahko uporabljalo kot način za okrepitev preventivnih in korektivnih ukrepov za podporo Pakta za stabilnost in rast.

So far, the EU budget has proved itself as an effective tool to realise the EU's aspirations and implement its policies. The EU budget has made a real difference to the task of delivering more growth and jobs, boosting research, competitiveness and skills and ensuring that the Union offers particular support to those most in need of solidarity. It has given particular support to priority projects, including contributing to the stimulus needed in the wake of the economic crisis. It has reinforced the Union's security. It has brought help to hundreds of millions of the world's poorest, accelerated the development of Europe's neighbours and promoted EU policies worldwide.

- Narava razprave, na kateri je temeljil dogovor o zadnjem finančnem okviru, je prav tako vplivala na sposobnost proračuna za doseganje rezultatov. Razprava je bila osredotočena zlasti na vprašanje „neto prispevkov“, kar je povzročilo popačenje programov, da bi čim lažje vnaprej določili, katera država porablja določena sredstva. To je imelo prednost pred ukrepi, namenjenimi izboljšanju uspešnosti proračuna, kot sta dialog o politikah na makro ravni in zadrževanje rezerv za nagrajevanje učinkovitosti. Pomenilo je tudi, da evropska razsežnost – pri kateri lahko EU ustvari največjo dodano vrednost – ni bila vedno v ospredju. Razprava o „pravičnem povračilu“ („juste retour“) je torej negativno vplivala na kakovost izpolnjevanja ciljev in zmanjšala dodano vrednost EU.

The goal must be to use the budget as effectively as possible to achieving the EU's objectives. Some of the key lessons to be learnt to further this objective include:

- Uvajanje novih programov je dolgotrajno, zlasti kadar temeljijo na partnerskem pristopu, ki upošteva lokalne potrebe in prioritete. Čas, ki je na voljo od dogovora o zakonodajnih besedilih do začetka obdobja financiranja, je bistven za uspešno delovanje programov. Pred letom 2007 je pozen dogovor o finančnem paketu skrčil to pomembno obdobje. To je povzročilo zamude pri začetku dejanskega izvajanja programov, kar je v nekaterih primerih imelo posledice skozi celotno obdobje.

· Since their introduction in 1988, the EU's multiannual financial frameworks have ensured strict budgetary discipline and medium-term predictability of EU expenditure. This predictability has come at the price of limited flexibility. The past years have shown that the financial framework and its programmes have not always been able to respond to political imperatives and changing circumstances. EU decisions to bring extra help to developing countries when food prices soared in 2008, to respond to changing demands in major European projects such as Galileo and ITER due to their long lead times and evolving costs, to contribute to economic stimulus in 2008-2009, or indeed to react to global crises such as the tsunami have come up against the excessive inflexibility of he current system. They have only been accommodated with extreme difficulty, relying on unexpected margins in other parts of the budget. Even within programmes, the obstacles to re-prioritisation have made it harder to give the right priority to new issues like public health emergencies, to refocus training needs in the wake of the crisis or to reflect the Union's changing relationship with emerging economies. So the budget's inability to "expect the unexpected" brings both an operational and a reputational cost to the EU.

- Zaradi zamud pri začetku izvajanja programov, značilne zapletenosti postopkov, zelo decentraliziranega pristopa in učinka finančne krize na nacionalne proračune je bilo črpanje kohezijskih sredstev počasno. Možni ukrepi za izboljšanje vključujejo boljšo zasnovo, hitrejše sprejemanje odločitev, racionalizirane in usklajene postopke, jasneje opredeljene prioritete na vseh ravneh ter prilagodljivejši pristop k sofinanciranju.

· Another of the unforeseen events of recent years has been the economic crisis and its effects on the debate on economic governance. This underlined the interdependence of the EU's economies and the need to strengthen common rules. In the first place, the use of the budget as collateral to support the European stabilisation mechanism showed an innovative use of the budget to support an urgent policy need, however tightly constrained by the ceiling of own resources. In addition, it was suggested that the receipt of EU funds could be used to reinforce both preventative and corrective measures to support the Stability and Growth Pact.

- Učinek porabe EU lahko ovirajo pravila za izvajanje zadevnih programov. S pomočjo kontrol se sicer dobro finančno poslovodenje nenehno izboljšuje, vendar pa neskladnost med programi in veliko upravno breme ovirata uspešno izvajanje programov. Poleg tega se pri izvajanju kontrol programi ocenjujejo zlasti glede na vložke vanje, manj pa glede na njihovo uspešnost, kar zmanjšuje spodbude za doseganje dejanskih rezultatov.

· The nature of the debate leading up to agreement on the last financial framework also had consequences for the ability of the budget to deliver. The concentration on the issue of "net balances" meant that programmes were skewed to maximise the ability to put a "national flag" on spending in advance. This was given priority over measures designed to improve performance, such as macro policy dialogue and holding back reserves to reward effectiveness. It also meant that the European dimension – where the EU can bring the highest added value – was not always the primary consideration. The "juste retour" debate therefore had a negative impact on the quality of delivery and reduced the EU added value.

- S sedanjim finančnim okvirom so bili narejeni prvi koraki na poti do novega pristopa k možnemu učinku proračuna EU. Če lahko proračun EU izkorišča naložbene vzvode iz drugih javnih in zasebnih virov, lahko s temi sredstvi učinkoviteje dosega cilje politik EU. Ta pristop se je že izkazal za uspešnega, na primer pri Skladu za financiranje na osnovi delitve tveganja, prek katerega so se začele izvajati poslovne naložbe v bolj tvegane raziskave. Tako je prevladujoči pristop z donacijami morda omejeval možni učinek proračuna.

· Putting new programmes in place takes time – particularly when they are based on a partnership approach to factor in local needs and priorities. The time available between agreement on the legal texts and the start of a financing period is crucial to make this work well. In the run-up to 2007, the late agreement on the financing package squeezed this critical period. The result was that the real start of programmes was delayed, and in some cases this has had a knock-on throughout the period.

2. Načela za proračun EU

· The delays in launching the programmes, enshrined complexities in the process, a very decentralised approach and the impact of the financial crisis on national public budgets led to a slow uptake of cohesion spending. A better design, faster decision making, streamlined and harmonised procedures, a clearer definition of priorities at all levels and more flexible approach to co-financing have all been identified as potential remedies.

Proračun EU mora temeljiti na izbranih temeljnih načelih. Ta načela se uporabljajo kot merila, na podlagi katerih je treba oceniti različne možnosti. Evropskim državljanom naj bi pomagala bolje razumeti, čemu je namenjen proračun EU in kako so bile sprejete ključne odločitve.

· The impact of EU spending can be hampered by the rules governing the programmes concerned. Whilst controls have helped to ensure a steady improvement in sound financial management, inconsistencies between programmes and high administrative burdens have both proved obstacles to effectiveness. Controls have also had a tendency to assess programmes on the basis of inputs rather than performance, reducing the incentives for effective results.

2.1. Izvajanje ključnih prednostnih nalog politik

· The existing financial framework has taken the first steps in pioneering a new approach to the impact the EU budget can have. If the EU budget can leverage investment from other public and private sources, the same funding can achieve the EU's policy goals more effectively. This approach has been successful in cases like the Risk Sharing Finance Facility, which has kick-started business investment in higher-risk research. So the domination of the grants approach may have limited the budget's potential impact.

Proračun EU je ključni instrument za oblikovanje in izvajanje politik EU v korist državljanov ter gospodarskih in družbenih akterjev. Številne cilje EU je sicer mogoče doseči tudi z usklajevanjem pravnih sistemov ali politik, vendar pa proračun ostaja eno najpomembnejših orodij, ki jih ima na voljo EU.

2. Principles for the EU Budget

Pri politikah, ki zahtevajo obsežna javna sredstva, bi moral obseg porabe odražati ključne prednostne naloge politik EU, pa tudi nove usmeritve politik, določene v Lizbonski pogodbi, ki daje velik poudarek področjem, kot so energetika in podnebne spremembe, zunanji vpliv EU ter pravosodje in notranje zadeve.

The EU budget must be grounded in a series of core principles. These are the tests against which options should be assessed. Through these principles, European citizens should be able to have a better view of what the EU budget is for, and how the key choices have been made.

Predvsem pa bi moral biti proračun oblikovan kot eden najpomembnejših instrumentov za izvajanje strategije Evropa 2020 za pametno, trajnostno in vključujočo rast. Rast po gospodarski in finančni krizi ostaja šibka. Učinkovitega obvladovanja posledic krize in povečanja potencialne rasti v obdobjih proračunske konsolidacije ni mogoče doseči zgolj na nacionalni ravni, temveč bo potreben tudi odziv na ravni EU. Proračun EU mora prispevati k obnovi sposobnosti za rast, tako da usmeri sredstva na področja, na katerih lahko ustvarijo hitrejše, raznovrstnejše in večje koristi.

2.1. Delivering key policy priorities

2.2. Dodana vrednost EU

The EU budget is a key instrument for shaping and delivering EU policies for citizens and economic and social actors. It is not the only tool at the EU's disposal: many of the EU's objectives can be reached through law or policy coordination. But it is an essential part of the EU's toolbox.

Čeprav dodane vrednosti političnega projekta ne moremo omejiti na bilanco stanja, je to eden od možnih preizkusov, na podlagi katerega lahko upravičimo porabo na ravni EU: pokaže namreč, ali poraba na ravni EU pomeni večjo korist za državljane kot poraba na nacionalni ravni. Evropska razsežnost lahko poveča učinkovitost financ držav članic in z združevanjem skupnih storitev in virov, ki lahko omogoči ekonomije obsega, pripomore k zmanjšanju skupnih odhodkov. Zato bi bilo treba proračun EU uporabljati za financiranje javnih dobrin EU, ukrepov, ki jih države članice in regije ne morejo financirati same, ali kadar se na ta način lahko dosežejo boljši rezultati.

Amongst the policies that require significant public spending, the weight of spending should mirror the EU's core policy priorities. It should also reflect the new policy directions of the Treaty of Lisbon, the importance given to particular areas, for example energy and climate, the external projection of the EU and justice and home affairs.

Poraba EU za leto 2010 je znašala 122,9 milijarde EUR. To je v primerjavi z nacionalnimi proračuni razmeroma malo – približno 1 % BDP EU, medtem ko skupna javna poraba po državah EU v povprečju znaša od 45 % do 50 % BDP. Primerno je, da se obsežna področja porabe, na primer za zagotavljanje storitev, kot so zdravstvo, izobraževanje in socialna varnost, financirajo iz nacionalnih proračunov, saj gre za storitve, ki odražajo družbene izbire.

Above all, it should be designed as one of the most important instruments to help deliver the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The economic and financial crisis has left a legacy of weaker growth. Dealing effectively with the legacy of the crisis and increasing potential growth in times of budgetary consolidation cannot be achieved at the national level alone, but will also require a common response at the EU level. The EU budget needs to help the process of restoring the capacity for growth by directing resources where the rewards can come more quickly, more broadly and more strongly.

Na drugih področjih pa je izvajanje prek proračuna EU racionalna izbira in najboljši način za doseganje ciljev EU. EU ima 500 milijonov državljanov in je največje gospodarstvo na svetu, kar omogoča realne možnosti za izkoriščanje dodane vrednosti. EU omogoča izkoriščanje ekonomij obsega in učinkovito ciljno usmerjeno oblikovanje prednostnih nalog politik, hkrati pa izogibanje nepotrebnemu podvajanju. Njena geografska razsežnost omogoča dobro delovanje ključnih politik, npr. pri določanju odličnosti v raziskavah na podlagi natečajev, ker je na nacionalni ravni pogosto težko zagotoviti zadostno kritično maso. Lahko zapolni vrzeli, ki nastanejo zaradi dinamike oblikovanja politik na nacionalni ravni, kar je zlasti očitno pri reševanju čezmejnih problemov, npr. na področju infrastrukture, mobilnosti, teritorialne kohezije ali sodelovanja EU pri raziskavah – torej vrzeli, ki bi sicer škodile interesom EU kot celote. Poleg tega lahko pomeni priložnost za uporabo precej širšega nabora javnih in zasebnih virov, kot je na voljo zgolj na nacionalni ravni.

2.2. EU added value

V obdobjih strogih in dolgoročnih proračunskih omejitev bi moralo biti usklajevanje med proračunom EU in nacionalnimi proračuni ključno orodje za izboljšanje gospodarskega upravljanja, preglednosti in učinkovitosti javne porabe.

Whilst added value of a political project cannot be reduced to a balance sheet, it is another key test to justify spending at the EU level: whether spending at EU level means a better deal for citizens than spending at national level. The European dimension can maximise the efficiency of Member States' finances and help to reduce total expenditure, by pooling common services and resources to benefit from economies of scale. As a consequence, the EU budget should be used to finance EU public goods, actions that Member States and regions cannot finance themselves, or where it can secure better results.

2.3. Proračun, usmerjen v rezultate

EU spending for 2010 amounted to € 122.9bn. This is relatively small in comparison to national budgets – some 1% of EU GDP, compared to overall public spending averaging between 45 and 50% across the EU. Large areas of spending – such as providing services such as health, education, and social security – are rightly the domain of national budgets, delivering services which reflect societal choices.

Opredelitev področij, na katerih lahko razsežnost EU ponudi več, sama po sebi ni dovolj. Poraba sredstev za prave politike je smiselna le, če zagotavlja želene rezultate. Programi porabe morajo imeti dejanski učinek, kar pomeni, da se sredstva porabijo za delovanje, to pa se meri glede na dejanski učinek in ne glede na vložke. Poiskati je treba pravo ravnotežje med predvidljivostjo ter pomembnimi cilji – prilagodljivostjo, pogojenostjo in plačili na podlagi rezultatov –, pa tudi med poenostavitvijo in nadzorom, ki je potreben za dobro finančno poslovodenje. Vzpostavljene morajo biti spodbude in kontrole, ki zagotavljajo, da poraba dosega svoj pravi namen.

But in other areas, delivery through the EU budget is the rational choice and the best way to achieve the EU's objectives. The EU has 500 million citizens, and is the largest economy in the world. This offers real opportunities to exploit added value. It can offer economies of scale and allow the effective targeting of policy priorities and avoid unnecessary overlaps. Its continental scale can allow core policies to work well, such as the identification of excellence in research through competition, where the critical mass required often does not exist at national level alone. It can plug gaps left by the dynamics of national policy-making, most obviously addressing cross-border challenges in areas like infrastructure, mobility, territorial cohesion or EU research cooperation – gaps which would otherwise damage the interests of the EU as a whole. It can open the door to leveraging a much wider range of public and private resources than available at the national level alone.

2.4. Vzajemne koristi solidarnosti

In times of severe and long-term budgetary constraints, coordination between the EU and national budgets should be seen as crucial for the sake of improving economic governance, transparency and efficiency of public spending.

Solidarnost je eden od temeljev Evropske unije, osnovno načelo njenega delovanja in vir njenega uspeha. Proračun EU ni edini način, s katerim EU izraža solidarnost, vendar je nepogrešljiv del pristopa EU. S širitvijo so se povečale razlike v gospodarski razvitosti Unije, ki ji je v političnem, družbenem in ekonomskem interesu pomagati svojim manj razvitim delom, da prispevajo k skupnim ciljem. Koristi, ki jih prinaša stabilnost, so deležni vsi. Poleg tega si Evropska unija prizadeva uresničiti celovito gospodarsko strategijo za prihodnjo rast, pri čemer načelo solidarnosti terja, da posveča posebno pozornost najranljivejšim skupinam in tistim, za katere je reforma še posebej veliko breme. Vendar imajo koristi od solidarnosti vsi, in sicer prek potenciala rasti enotnega trga, nadnacionalnih učinkov porabe EU na nacionalni ali regionalni ravni ter pozitivne razvojne spirale posameznikov in podjetij, ki izkoriščajo priložnosti, ki jih ponuja EU kot celota. Zaradi kohezijske politike v obdobju 2000–2006 se je BDP v celotni EU-25 v letu 2009 po oceni povečal za 0,7 %, kar pomeni dober donos na porabo, ki je v istem obdobju znašala manj kot 0,5 % BDP EU[3].

2.3. A results-driven budget

Skupni cilji EU pogosto zahtevajo geografsko usmerjeno ukrepanje. Za zaščito zunanjih meja Unije pred nezakonitim priseljevanjem morajo denimo poskrbeti države članice ob zunanjih mejah. Infrastruktura, ki se nahaja v določeni državi članici, lahko vseeno prinaša velike koristi Uniji. Ukrepi za spodbujanje varstva okolja ali spopadanje s podnebnimi spremembami so lahko zelo lokalne narave, njihovi učinki pa so geografsko mnogo širši. V takih primerih naložbe, ki so na voljo na nacionalni ravni, pogosto ne zadoščajo za začetek ukrepanja, neukrepanje pa lahko povzroči dejansko škodo za Evropo kot celoto. Proračun EU mora prispevati h kritju takih stroškov in tako podpirati skupne cilje EU.

Identifying those areas where the EU dimension can offer more is not in itself sufficient. Spending on the right policies is only worthwhile if it secures the desired results. Spending programmes must have a real impact, with the investment feeding through into action – action which is measured in terms of real impact, rather than in terms of the inputs involved. The right balance has to be found between predictability and the important goals of flexibility, conditionality, and payment on the basis of results, as well as between simplification and the controls required for sound financial management. But incentives and checks must be in place to ensure that spending fulfils its real purpose.

2.5. Reforma financiranja proračuna

2.4. Mutual benefits through solidarity

Vprašanje „lastnih sredstev“ je pomemben del pregleda proračuna. EU je od začetka sedemdesetih let zbirala lastna sredstva, ki so izvirala iz skupnih politik, npr. dajatve skupne carinske tarife. Sorazmerni obseg tega vira lastnih sredstev se je sčasoma zmanjšal, sedanji sistem financiranja EU pa se je postopoma razvil v nejasen in nepregleden sistem prispevkov iz nacionalnih proračunov, popravkov in znižanj. Povezava med prvotnimi lastnimi sredstvi in skupnimi politikami EU se je izgubila, zaradi česar je sistem postal manj pregleden, vse več pa je tudi dvomov o njegovi pravičnosti. Potreben je svež pogled na financiranje proračuna, ki bo financiranje EU ponovno uskladil z načeli sorazmernosti med viri, preglednosti in pravičnosti.

Solidarity is one of the foundation stones of the European Union, a core principle and source of strength. The EU budget is not the only way for the EU to express solidarity, but it is an indispensible part of the EU approach. Enlargement has increased the economic diversity of the Union, and the Union has a political, social and economic interest in helping the less developed parts of the Union to contribute to its overall goals: the benefits of stability accrue to all. In addition, as the European Union seeks to realise a comprehensive economic strategy for future growth, solidarity requires that special attention is paid to the most vulnerable and to those on whom reform places a particular burden. But the benefits of this solidarity are enjoyed by all, through the growth potential of the single market, through the transnational effects of EU spending at national or regional level and through the virtuous circle of individuals and businesses taking the opportunities opened up by the EU as a whole. GDP in the EU25 as a whole is estimated to have been 0.7% higher in 2009 as a result of cohesion policy over the 2000/2006 period – meaning a good return for spending accounting for less than 0.5 % of EU GDP over the same period [3].

3. Proračun za prihodnost

The EU's collective objectives often require geographically concentrated interventions. Protecting the external borders of the Union against illegal immigration falls naturally on Member States with external borders. Infrastructure located in particular Member States can still have major benefits for the Union. Action to promote environment protection or tackle climate change can be very local, but the benefits are spread much more widely. In such cases, the investment available at the national level often falls short of what is needed to trigger action, but failure to act can come at a real loss to Europe as a whole. The EU budget should make a contribution to such costs to further its collective goals.

EU je zavezana izvajanju temeljnega programa gospodarskih reform, da bi sprostila potencial gospodarstva EU, ki bo prispeval k iskanju novih virov rasti in ustvarjanju novih delovnih mest – gre za strategijo Evropa 2020.

2.5. A reformed financing of the budget

Cilj te strategije je pametna, trajnostna in vključujoča rast, ki jo ponazarja naslednjih pet ciljev:

The issue of "own resources" is an important part of the budget review. From the beginning of the1970s, the EU collected own resources deriving from common policies like the common customs tariff duties. The autonomy of these own resources has been gradually undermined and the current system of EU financing has evolved piecemeal into a confusing and opaque mix of contributions from national budgets, corrections and rebates. The connection between the original own resources and common EU policies has been lost, making the system less transparent and increasing doubts about fairness. A fresh look is essential, to re-align EU financing with principles of autonomy, transparency and fairness.

- povečati stopnjo zaposlenosti prebivalstva med 20. in 64. letom starosti na vsaj 75 %,

3. A Budget for the future

- nameniti 3 % BDP raziskavam in razvoju,

The EU is now committed to a fundamental programme of economic reform, to unlock the potential of the EU economy to find new sources of growth and create new jobs – the Europe 2020 strategy.

- zmanjšati emisije toplogrednih plinov za vsaj 20 % v primerjavi z ravnijo iz leta 1990 ali za 30%, če za to obstajajo ugodni pogoji; povečati delež obnovljivih virov energije v končni porabi za 20 % ter povečati učinkovitost porabe energije za 20 %,

Europe 2020 pursues smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, exemplified by the following five targets:

- zmanjšati stopnjo zgodnje opustitve šolanja na 10 % in povečati delež prebivalstva med 30. in 34. letom starosti, ki je končalo terciarno izobraževanje, na vsaj 40 % v letu 2020,

– Increase the employment rate of the population aged 20-64 to at least 75%;

- iz revščine rešiti vsaj 20 milijonov ljudi.

– Invest 3% of GDP in R&D;

Ko bodo ti cilji doseženi, bi bil njihov skupni rezultat po oceni Komisije lahko 4% večji BDP EU in 5,6 milijona novih delovnih mest do leta 2020[4].

– Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% compared to 1990 levels, 30% if the conditions are right; increase the share of renewable energy sources in final energy consumption to 20%; and increase by 20% its energy efficiency;

Ta naloga posega na številna področja politik. Za njeno uresničitev je potrebno partnerstvo med EU, državami članicami in regijami, poleg tega pa tudi premišljeno ciljno usmerjanje, ki bo zagotovilo, da bodo prizadevanja usmerjena na področja, na katerih bodo najučinkovitejša. Posebno pozornost je treba nameniti tudi področjem, na katerih ukrepanje lahko hitro spodbudi rast. Proračun EU lahko ima in mora imeti ključno vlogo pri doseganju ciljev te strategije. Moral bi biti preskusni kamen za novo generacijo programov porabe.

– Reduce the early-school leavers rate to 10% and increase the share of the population aged 30-34 having completed tertiary education to at least 40% in 2020;

Eno od gibal strategije Evropa 2020 je potreba po globalni viziji gospodarstva in družbe EU, v kateri se cilji vzajemno krepijo in so ukrepi lahko usmerjeni v več različnih ciljev hkrati. To ne pomeni enega samega sklada, zahteva pa veliko usklajevanja. Evropa 2020 potrebuje celovite rešitve, zato morajo biti takšni tudi instrumenti za njeno izvajanje. Spodaj navedene ukrepe je zato treba obravnavati kot sveženj ukrepov, ki so med seboj tesno povezani in učinkujejo skupaj, njihov cilj pa je zagotoviti pametno, trajnostno in vključujočo rast.

– Lift at least 20 million people out of poverty.

3.1. Pametna rast

Taken together, the Commission estimates that when these targets are achieved, the result could be an extra 4% on EU GDP and 5.6 million new jobs by 2020 [4].

Strategija 2020 izhaja iz potrebe po podpiranju prehoda evropskega gospodarstva v gospodarstvo, ki temelji na znanju in inovacijah. Veliko ukrepov, potrebnih za pospeševanje konkurenčnosti in ustvarjanje delovnih mest v prihodnosti, se vrti okoli nacionalnih prizadevanj za spodbujanje raziskav in inovacij, izboljšanje izobraževanja in odpravljanje ovir za podjetništvo. Velika prednost Evrope je njena velikost, ki jo je treba dodobra izkoristiti. Z izkoriščanjem potenciala enotnega trga in uporabo sredstev iz proračuna EU lahko izboljšamo način, na katerega javni sektor spodbuja vzvode rasti.

This task touches on a wide range of policy areas. It requires a partnership between the EU, national and regional levels; and it also requires careful targeting to ensure that efforts are concentrated where they can be most effective. There should also be special attention paid to where action can have an early impact on growth. The EU budget can and must play a key part in delivering this strategy, and it should be the touchstone for a new generation of spending programmes.

Raziskave, inovacije in izobraževanje

Part of the driving force of Europe 2020 is the need to have a global vision for the EU economy and society, where objectives reinforce each other and where actions can serve different goals at once. This does not require a single fund – it does require a high degree of coordination. Europe 2020 needs integrated solutions, so the instruments to deliver it should be integrated as well. The actions set out below should therefore be seen as a package of measures, closely linked and working together to secure smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

Raziskave in inovacije so najbolj trajnostni poganjalci gospodarske rasti in rasti produktivnosti. Sedanji programi EU za raziskave in inovacije omogočajo velike koristi za družbo in jasno dodano vrednost za Evropo, saj ustvarjajo kritično maso na področjih, kot so temeljne raziskave. Izdatki EU za raziskave in inovacije so se v obdobju zadnjega večletnega finančnega okvira podvojili in bodo do leta 2013 znašali približno 7 % proračuna Unije[5]. Z Evropskim raziskovalnim svetom in Evropskim tehnološkim inštitutom je EU uvedla svež pristop k spodbujanju odličnosti na evropski ravni ter vzpostavljanju povezav med izobraževanjem, raziskavami in podjetništvom, kar je ključno, če želimo zagotoviti, da se ustvarjalnost prelije v rast. Izdatki za raziskave in inovacije bi morali imeti v prihodnje še večji učinek v smislu rasti in ustvarjanja delovnih mest ter v smislu pomembnih družbenih in okoljskih koristi.

3.1. Smart growth

Da bi dosegli cilje Evrope 2020 na tem področju, je Komisija predlagala vzpostavitev „Unije inovacij“. V obdobjih fiskalnih omejitev morajo EU in države članice še naprej vlagati v raziskave, razvoj in inovacije. Poleg tega morajo zagotoviti odpravo preostalih ovir, ki podjetnikom preprečujejo, da bi svoje ideje lahko razvili do tržne stopnje: treba je zagotoviti boljši dostop do financiranja, dostopne pravice intelektualne lastnine, hitrejše določanje interoperabilnih standardov in strateško uporabo sredstev EU za javna naročila. Hkrati bi bilo treba izvesti reforme, ki bi omogočile večjo stroškovno učinkovitost, zmanjšale razdrobljenost in okrepile učinke finančnega vzvoda.

At the core of the 2020 strategy is the need to support the transformation of the European economy towards an economy based on knowledge and innovation. Much of the work needed to drive future competitiveness and create tomorrow's jobs centres on national efforts to boost research and innovation, upgrade education and remove barriers to entrepreneurship. But Europe has a huge asset in its scale, and this asset must be used to the full: by exploiting the potential of the single market, and by using funds from the EU budget to bring added value to how the public sector galvanises the drivers of growth.

- Postavljanje inovacij v središče . Prihodnje financiranje raziskav in inovacij mora neposredno prispevati k doseganju ciljev strategije Evropa 2020, zlasti Unije inovacij[6]. Izhajati bi moralo iz dejavnosti v okviru Programa za konkurenčnost in inovacije ter podpirati inovativne projekte, zlasti take, ki vključujejo MSP, z jasnim gospodarskim potencialom, kar naj bi prispevalo k utrditvi in razširitvi industrijske osnove Evrope. Uspeh Sklada za financiranje na osnovi delitve tveganja je pokazal, da novi pristopi k zagotavljanju podpore lahko uspešno pritegnejo zasebni kapital. Ta instrument je porabil 1 milijardo EUR iz proračuna EU, da je za podporo raziskavam in razvoju po EU zagotovil dodatnih 16,2 milijarde EUR. Evropske tehnološke platforme so bile pomembne za opredelitev ustreznih prednostnih nalog posameznih panog v okvirnem programu. Javno-zasebna partnerstva so bila vzpostavljena z namenom, da bi se gospodarstvo dejavno vključilo v raziskovalne programe, katerih konceptualni pobudnik je, in jih sofinanciralo. Primer so skupne tehnološke pobude, ki so pokazale, kako se lahko z ustvarjalnim sodelovanjem porabi razmeroma skromen prispevek iz proračuna EU za spodbujanje vodilnih znatnih evropskih gospodarskih prizadevanj. Za uresničitev tega cilja je potrebno usklajeno delovanje celotnega spektra instrumentov v skupnem strateškem okviru.

Research, innovation and education

- Soočanje z velikimi družbenimi izzivi . Evropa se sooča z obsegom družbenih sprememb, kakršnega do zdaj ni poznala in ki jih je mogoče obvladati le s pomočjo pomembnih znanstvenih in tehnoloških prebojev. Prednost morajo imeti osrednji cilji EU, zlasti strategija Evropa 2020. EU bi morala denimo pomagati nadoknaditi manko energetskih raziskav, ki so bile več desetletij na stranskem tiru, kar je povzročilo zaostanek Evrope pri razvoju domačih virov energije in zmanjševanju emisij. Za pospešitev raziskav, razvoja in tržne uporabe inovacij bodo vzpostavljena evropska partnerstva za inovacije, ki naj bi omogočila povezovanje strokovnega znanja in virov ter večjo konkurenčnost industrije EU.

Research and innovation are the most sustainable engines of economic and productivity growth. The current EU programmes for research and innovation offer a high societal pay-off and clear European added value, bringing critical mass in areas like basic research. EU expenditure on research and innovation has doubled over the last multiannual financial framework and by 2013 it will amount to around 7% of the Union's budget [5]. With the European Research Council and the European Institute for Technology, the EU has put in place a fresh new approach to promoting excellence on a European scale and forging the links between education, research and business so critical to seeing creativity carry through into growth. Future research and innovation spending must have an even stronger impact in terms of growth and job creation and in terms of significant social and environmental return.

- Vzpostavitev evropskega raziskovalnega prostora . Zdaj je bolj kot kdaj prej pomembno, da z vzpostavitvijo resnično poenotenega evropskega raziskovalnega prostora izboljšamo učinkovitost evropskega sistema za raziskave in inovacije. Potrebujemo prostor, v katerem bodo lahko tako javni kot zasebni akterji prosto delovali, se povezovali in dosegali kritično maso za konkuriranje in sodelovanje na svetovni ravni. Z boljšim usklajevanjem na regionalni in nacionalni ravni ter ravni EU lahko storimo več za preprečevanje podvajanja in spodbujanje dobrih praks. Okrepljeno skupno načrtovanje bi lahko omogočilo sinergije in dopolnjevanje med različnimi ravnmi financiranja. Za to pa bo treba odpraviti ovire za mobilnost raziskovalcev.

To achieve Europe 2020's goals in this area, the Commission has proposed an Innovation Union. In times of fiscal constraints, the EU and Member States need to continue to invest in R&D, and innovation. They also need to ensure that remaining barriers for entrepreneurs to bring "ideas to market" must be removed: better access to finance, affordable IPR, faster setting of interoperable standards, and strategic use of our procurement budgets. This should go hand in hand with reforms to get more value for money, tackle fragmentation and maximise leverage effects.

- Razširitev temeljev za raziskave EU . Podpora EU mora spodbujati odličnost, vendar mora hkrati prispevati tudi k razširitvi temeljev za raziskave in razvoj, in sicer tako, da pomaga izboljšati kakovost infrastrukture za raziskave po celotni EU. Za razvoj naslednje generacije raziskovalne infrastrukture, ki bi temeljila na regionalni specializaciji, bi bilo treba v celoti izkoristiti strukturne sklade.

– Focussing on innovation. Future research and innovation funding must contribute directly to the achievement of Europe 2020, in particular the Innovation Union [6]. It should build on the work of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme and support innovative projects, notably involving SMEs, with clear economic potential, to help consolidate and enlarge Europe's industrial base. The success of the Risk-sharing Finance Facility (RSFF) has demonstrated that novel approaches to providing support can be successful in leveraging private investment. This facility has used an EU budget of € 1 billion to bring an additional € 16.2 billion to support R&D across the EU. The European Technology Platforms have been instrumental in helping to define industry relevant priorities for the Framework Programme. Public-private partnerships have been created to get industry actively involved and co-invest in industry-driven research programmes such as Joint Technology Initiatives, which have shown how imaginative collaboration can use a relatively small EU budgetary contribution to galvanise major European industrial efforts. The full range of instruments should work together, in a common strategic framework, to this end.

- Povečanje učinkovitosti izvajanja s poenostavitvijo . Znanstvena in poslovna javnost sta izrazili nezadovoljstvo zaradi pretiranega upravnega bremena in Komisijo pozvali, naj zagotovi boljše ravnotežje med zaupanjem in nadzorom ter med tveganjem in izogibanjem tveganju. Čeprav so bile v okviru sedanjih programov uvedene nekatere poenostavitve, je treba storiti več. Ukrepi z dolgoročnim potencialom za poenostavitev so: splošno priznavanje računovodskih praks udeležencev, vključno s povprečnimi stroški; enotna pravila za vse udeležence, ki zajemajo vse intervencijske ukrepe, in znižanje števila različnih stopenj povračil; ter metode za izračunavanje posrednih stroškov.

– Tackling major societal challenges. Europe is faced with an unprecedented range of societal challenges, which can only be tackled with major scientific and technological breakthroughs. Priority should be given to the EU's core objectives, and in particular Europe 2020. For example, the EU should contribute to remedy decades of shortfall in energy research, which has left Europe lagging behind in terms of developing domestic energy supplies and tackling the challenge of reduced emissions. European Innovation Partnerships will be launched to accelerate research, development and market deployment of innovations to pool expertise and resources and boost the competitiveness of EU industry.

- Modernizacija izobraževalnih sistemov na vseh ravneh . Odličnost mora v še večji meri postati temeljno načelo izobraževanja. Potrebujemo več univerz svetovnega formata, povečati moramo stopnjo izobraženosti in iz tujine pritegniti najbolj nadarjene ljudi. Treba bi bilo opraviti usklajen pregled sedanjih izobraževalnih programov in programov usposabljanja ter oblikovati celovit pristop v okviru vodilne pobude „Mladi in mobilnost“. Politika izobraževanja in usposabljanja je večinoma v pristojnosti držav članic, vendar ima Unija posebno odgovornost za spodbujanje mobilnosti in odpravljanje ovir v Evropi. Vzpostavljene sheme mobilnosti na področju izobraževanja so ne le izboljšale spretnosti, znanja in izobrazbo upravičencev, temveč so spodbudile tudi tekmovanje med univerzami in izobraževalnimi sistemi. Trenutno je povpraševanje precej večje od ponudbe, saj je denimo program Erasmus na univerzitetni ravni omejen na približno 5 % študentov. Take programe bi lahko razširili in poskrbeli, da bi bilo dodeljevanje sredstev bolj vezano na obseg dejanske uporabe možnosti za mobilnost.

– Delivering the European Research Area. It is more vital than ever to maximise the efficiency of the European research and innovation system by creating a genuinely unified European Research Area, in which all actors, both public and private, can operate freely, forge alliances and gather critical mass in order to compete and cooperate on a global scale. Better coordination at regional, national and EU level can do more to prevent overlaps and encourage best practice and reinforced joint programming could ensure synergies and complementarity of the different funding levels. This implies that the barriers to the mobility of researchers need to be addressed.

Infrastrukture prihodnosti

– Spreading the base of EU research. Whilst EU support needs to drive excellence, it should also contribute to broaden the base of research and innovation by helping to raise the quality of research infrastructure across the EU. The Structural Funds should be fully exploited to develop the next generation of research infrastructures, based on regional specialisation.

Čezmejna infrastruktura je eden od najboljših primerov, kako lahko EU zapolnjuje vrzeli in dosega boljše rezultate. Prometna, komunikacijska in energetska omrežja prinašajo ogromne koristi celotni družbi, vendar se zaradi nedelovanja trga lahko zgodi, da projekti z veliko dodano vrednostjo na ravni EU ne pritegnejo potrebnih naložb zasebnih podjetij. Za EU to pomeni manjšo konkurenčnost in solidarnost ter manj učinkovito delovanje enotnega trga. Ciljno usmerjena finančna podpora na ravni EU lahko da zagon za začetek izvajanja takih pomembnih projektov, ki imajo pogosto velik dolgoročni tržni potencial.

– Increasing the efficiency of delivery through simplification. The scientific and business community has complained about excessive administrative burden and has called upon the Commission to find a better balance between trust and control and between risk taking and risk avoidance. Despite progress made towards simplification under the existing programmes more needs to be done. Measures with a far reaching potential for simplification are the general acceptance of the accounting practices of participants including average costs, a unique set of rules for all participants covering all intervention measures and a reduction of the number of different reimbursement rates and methods for calculating indirect costs.

Države, kot so ZDA in Kitajska, uvajajo zelo obsežne, ambiciozne spodbude za naložbe v infrastrukturo. Zaradi ohranjanja konkurenčnosti ima Evropa še posebno velik strateški interes za učinkovito infrastrukturo, ki bo omogočila dolgoročno gospodarsko rast. EU mora ponuditi pravo kombinacijo politik za spodbujanje potrebne modernizacije, hkrati pa ohraniti standarde obstoječe infrastrukture. To pomeni verodostojen dolgoročen okvir politik, ki bo prepričal vlagatelje, da sprostijo ogromen dolgoročni finančni kapital, ki je za to potreben. Hkrati sta potrebna ustrezen regulativni okvir, ki bo to omogočal, in finančna podpora, ki bo premišljeno usmerjena prek ustreznih mehanizmov financiranja, da bodo projekti lahko stekli. Rezultat bi bili osrednje evropsko prometno omrežje, ki bi tovorne in potniške tokove preusmerilo na bolj trajnostna prometna sredstva, hitre širokopasovne povezave v vseh delih EU ter energetsko omrežje, ki bi omogočalo izpolnitev obljube notranjega trga, dostop do novih virov energije in izkoriščanje novih pametnih tehnologij.

– Modernising education systems at all levels. Excellence must even more become the guiding principle for education. We need more world-class universities, raise skill levels and attract top talent from abroad. A coordinated review of existing education and training programmes should be launched to develop an integrated approach in the context of the "Youth on the move" flagship. Most of the competences for education and employment policy lie with Member States, but the Union has a special responsibility to promote mobility and eliminate barriers across Europe. Existing mobility schemes in education have not only improved the skills, knowledge and education of the beneficiaries, they also stimulate competition between universities and educational systems. Demand currently goes well beyond the current supply – with Erasmus, at university level, limited to around 5% of students. Such programmes could be extended and the allocation of resources linked more clearly to the extent to which the opportunities of mobility are used in practice.

Taka podpora mora biti usmerjena na ključne prednostne naloge – odpravljanje ozkih grl na strateških vseevropskih oseh, spodbujanje njihove širitve ter gradnjo čezmejnih in intermodalnih povezav. Treba je oblikovati tudi stroga merila za izbiro najboljših projektov: to so projekti, ki lahko dokažejo, da imajo potrebno sposobnost upravljanja in jih je mogoče začeti izvajati v razumnem času, ter ki izpolnjujejo trajnostna merila. Za določene vrste infrastrukture, npr. za železniški promet ali širjenje omrežij na redko poseljena območja, bodo vedno potrebna javna sredstva, za druga področja pa bi lahko bilo pomembno merilo tudi sposobnost projekta za privabljanje zasebnega financiranja. Da bi lahko opredelili prednostna področja za naložbe in zagotovili pravo spodbudo za ukrepanje, bi bil potreben usklajen pristop proračuna EU in nacionalnih proračunov, Evropske investicijske banke ter zasebnih virov financiranja. Za to bo potreben ustrezen regulativni okvir na ravni EU, ki bo omogočal združevanje sredstev iz zasebnih in javnih virov. Razmisliti bi bilo treba tudi o tem, kako bi bilo mogoče zagotavljati podporo tudi za projekte, ki segajo čez meje EU in bi prinašali vzajemno korist sosednjim državam in državam članicam.

Infrastructures of the future

3.2. Trajnostna rast

Cross-border infrastructure is one of the best examples of where the EU can plug gaps and deliver better value results. Transport, communication and energy networks bring enormous benefits to society at large. But market failures can mean that projects with high EU added value can fail to attract the investment needed from private companies. The result is a cost for the EU in terms of competitiveness, solidarity, and the effective functioning of the single market. Targeted financial support on EU level can help to kick-start such important projects, which often hold great commercial potential in the long term.

Vključevanje energetske in podnebne politike v vse vidike gospodarstva, ki učinkovito izkorišča vire

Countries like the United States and China are now launching huge, ambitious infrastructure investment drives. Maintaining competitiveness means that Europe has a particularly strong strategic interest in effective infrastructure, to lay the foundations for long-term economic growth. The EU needs to offer the right policy mix to stimulate the modernisation required, as well as maintaining the standards of existing infrastructure. This means a credible long-term policy framework which will convince investors to release the huge long-term capital finance required. It needs a supportive regulatory framework and carefully directed financial support through appropriate finance vehicles to help get projects off the ground. The result would be a European core transport network shifting freight and passenger flows towards more sustainable transport modes; high-speed broadband available in every part of the EU; and an energy network capable of delivering on the promise of the internal market, accessing new energy sources and exploiting new smart technologies.

Spoprijemanje z izzivi učinkovitega izkoriščanja virov, podnebnih sprememb ter zagotavljanja zanesljive preskrbe z energijo in energetske učinkovitosti je eden od ključnih ciljev strategije Evropa 2020. To ne pomeni le, da je treba pripraviti gospodarstvo, da bo sposobno dosegati dogovorjene cilje, temveč vključuje tudi spodbujanje naložb v bolj zelene tehnologije in storitve, ki imajo enega največjih potencialov za povečanje izvoza in števila delovnih mest v prihodnosti ter že zdaj zaposlujejo 3,5 milijonov Evropejcev[7]. Da bi dosegli ta ambiciozni cilj, je treba učinkovito izkoristiti vse instrumente, ki jih ima EU na voljo, vključno z inovativnimi finančnimi instrumenti in viri.

Such support needs to be targeted on key priorities – removing bottlenecks on strategic trans-European axes, encouraging their extension and building cross-border and inter-modal connections. Strict criteria are also needed to select the best projects: those that can demonstrate that they have the management capacity required and can be launched in a reasonable timeframe, and that they meet sustainability benchmarks. Whilst for some infrastructure, like rail transport or bringing networks to sparsely-populated communities, public investment will always be needed, for other areas the ability of projects to attract private financing could also be an important criterion. A common approach would be needed between the EU and national budgets, the European Investment Bank and private funding sources to determine the priorities for investment and to provide the right catalyst for action. This requires the right regulatory framework at EU level, to pool resources from private and public sources. Consideration should also be given to how support could include projects stretching beyond the borders of the EU, to the mutual benefit of our neighbours and ourselves.

Predvideli bi lahko na primer preoblikovanje proračuna EU za vzpostavitev obsežnih namenskih skladov, določenih za naložbe na teh področjih. Evropski načrt za oživitev gospodarstva je pokazal, na kakšen način je mogoče opredeliti in podpirati ključne strateške energetske projekte ter preprečiti, da bi projekti zaradi kreditnega krča zastali. Pripomogel je k večji verodostojnosti dolgoročnih energetskih politik EU in povečanju pripravljenosti vlagateljev, da sprostijo kapital za dolgotrajne projekte. Ta pristop bi lahko ponovno uporabili in za te prioritete oblikovali ločene programe. Mogoče pa bi bilo učinkoviteje, da bi te prioritete vgradili v različne programe, saj je isti ukrep lahko in mora biti namenjen več različnim ciljem hkrati. Če bi dali prednost ciljem na področjih, kot sta podnebna in energetska politika, bi s tem že nakazali spremembo tudi prednostnih področij znotraj politik, kot so raziskave, kohezija, kmetijstvo in razvoj podeželja. Za to bi bila namreč potrebna močna politična zavezanost, ki pa bi jo morali uravnotežiti s potrebo, da se prepreči nastanek togosti pri drugih zadevah. Hkrati bi lahko uvedli jasno horizontalno obveznost po proučevanju, koliko so programi spodbujali take politike. Rezultat takega pristopa naj bi bil, da bi bila EU sposobna jasno ugotoviti, kateri viri so prispevali k politikam, kot so reševanje podnebnih sprememb ali podpora zanesljivi preskrbi z energijo, ne glede na instrumente, prek katerih se te politike izvajajo.

3.2. Sustainable growth

Skupna kmetijska politika

Mainstreaming energy and climate policies in a resource-efficient economy

Trajnostno gospodarstvo EU potrebuje uspešno kmetijstvo, ki bo prispevalo svoj delež k različnim ciljem EU, med drugim na področjih kohezije, podnebnih sprememb, varstva okolja in biotske raznovrstnosti, zdravja, konkurenčnosti ter zanesljive preskrbe s hrano. Zaporedne reforme skupne kmetijske politike so podporo kmetom vse bolj vezale na izpolnjevanje teh ciljev, delež SKP v celotnem proračunu pa se je v zadnjih letih postopoma zmanjševal. Tudi ob nadaljnjem zniževanju tega deleža bi bila za kmetijstvo še naprej namenjena znatna javna sredstva, ki bi se financirala iz proračuna EU in ne iz nacionalnih proračunov.

Tackling the challenge of resource efficiency, climate change, and of delivering energy security and efficiency, is one of the core objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. This not only means gearing up the economy to deliver the agreed goals, but also kick-starting investment in the greener technologies and greener services recognised as having some of the greatest potential for future exports and future jobs as an industry which already employs 3.5 million Europeans [7]. To secure this ambitious goal, all the instruments at the EU's disposal, including innovative financial instruments and sources, need to be harnessed effectively.

Reforme so kmetijstvo EU približale trgu in pomagale zagotoviti varno preskrbo s hrano, boljše upravljanje naravnih virov in stabilne kmetijske skupnosti. Več kot tretjina dohodkov kmetij še vedno izhaja iz plačil iz proračuna EU. Kmetijstvo EU ostaja eden od glavnih dobaviteljev visokokakovostne hrane v času, ko se potrebe hitro rastočega svetovnega prebivalstva še naprej povečujejo. Kmetijska industrija je pomemben vir dinamičnosti v gospodarstvu EU.

One option would be to reshape the EU budget to create large-scale, dedicated funds devoted to the delivery of investment in such areas. The European Economic Recovery Plan showed how it was possible to identify and support key strategic energy projects, and address the risk that the credit crunch brought such projects to a standstill. It helped to give credibility to the EU's long-range policies on energy, as well as increasing the willingness of investors to release capital for projects with long lead-times. This approach could be taken forward as an option based on distinct programmes. Nevertheless, mainstreaming these priorities into different programmes may be a more effective approach, recognising that the same action can and should pursue different objectives at once. The primacy of policy goals like climate change and energy would already point to a re-prioritisation inside policies like research, cohesion, agriculture and rural development – with a clear political earmarking balanced by the need to avoid new rigidities. This could be accompanied with a clear cross-cutting obligation to identify where programmes had promoted such policies. The result should mean that the EU would be able to set out clearly what resources were contributing to policies like tackling climate change or supporting energy security, irrespective of the instruments through which these policies are delivered.

Nekaj pomembnih vprašanj pa je še vedno nerešenih. Dodeljevanje neposrednih plačil temelji na referenčnih vrednostih, ki so bile določene pred več kot desetletjem, raven neposrednih plačil kmetom pa se po državah članicah precej razlikuje. Čeprav so razlike do neke mere upravičene, bi bilo raven plačil smiselno postopoma bolj poenotiti. Odmik od nekdanjih praks bi hkrati preprečeval, da bi kmetje postali odvisni od teh plačil, kar bi lahko zaviralo uporabo spodbud za doseganje ciljev. Ob tem se porajajo tudi vprašanja glede pritiska na dohodek kmetov in na proizvodne stroške ter glede določanja namenov porabe in prednostnih nalog v obeh stebrih SKP.

The Common Agriculture Policy

Evropski svet je junija poudaril, da bi lahko trajnostno, produktivno in konkurenčno kmetijstvo glede na potencial podeželskih območij za rast in zaposlovanje pomembno prispevalo k strategiji Evropa 2020 ter hkrati zagotavljalo pošteno konkurenco

A sustainable EU economy needs a thriving agricultural sector making its contribution to a wide variety of EU objectives – including cohesion, climate change, environmental protection and biodiversity, health and competitiveness, as well as food security. A series of reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy has seen support to farmers increasingly linked to delivering these goals and the share of the CAP in the overall budget falling steadily in recent years. Continuing the trend would still leave agriculture representing a major public investment – one falling on the EU's shoulders, rather than on national budgets.

Nadaljevanje začrtane poti reform bi lahko potekalo na različne načine:

Successive reforms have brought EU agriculture closer to the market and helped to deliver food security, a better management of natural resources and stable rural communities. Over one third of farm income relies on payments from the EU budget. EU farming continues to be a major supplier of high quality food at a time when the needs of a rapidly growing world population continue to grow. The agro-industry is an important source of dynamism in the EU economy.

- nadaljnje preusmerjanje SKP na širše prednostne naloge politik EU z okolju prijaznejšimi neposrednimi pomočmi, ki bi podpirale zahtevnejše okoljske prakse, ter izboljšavami za spodbujanje inovacij in konkurenčnosti na podeželju, poleg koncepta navzkrižne skladnosti,

However, there are also clear issues to address. The allocation of direct payments is based on reference values now over a decade old, and the levels of direct payments to farmers vary considerably from one Member State to another. Whilst some variation can be justified, there is a strong case for progressively bringing payments levels closer together. Moving away from historical references would also avoid a culture of dependency which may hold back the use of incentives to ensure that results are delivered. This would also raise issues with regard to pressure on farmers' income and on production costs, as well as the question of targeting and prioritisation of both pillars of the CAP.

- razvoj podeželja bi moral biti usmerjen v spodbujanje konkurenčnega kmetijstva in inovacij na področjih, kot so proizvodni procesi in tehnološki napredek, gospodarska diverzifikacija na podeželju, ohranjanje okolja in naravnih virov, obvladovanje podnebnih sprememb, ki vključuje blažitev posledic in prilagajanje nanje, upravljanje voda in učinkovito izkoriščanje virov ter zagotavljanje posebne podpore najbolj prikrajšanim sektorjem podeželskega gospodarstva, vključno s tistimi, ki se soočajo s problemi, kot je širjenje puščav;

The European Council underlined in June how a sustainable, productive and competitive agricultural sector could make an important contribution to the Europe 2020 strategy, considering the growth and employment potential of rural areas while ensuring fair competition.

- tržna usmeritev v kombinaciji z razvojem oblik zavarovanja, ki so združljive z „zeleno škatlo“ STO, in drugih orodij za obvladovanje tveganj, povezanih z nenadnimi spremembami dohodkov, v povezavi z boljšimi konkurenčnimi pogoji v verigi preskrbe s hrano,

Continuing along the path of reform could be pursued in different ways:

- boljše sinergije med razvojem podeželja in drugimi politikami EU, ki bi podpirale izvajanje politik na področjih, kot so raziskave, zaposlovanje in omrežna infrastruktura, ter njihova vključitev v skupni strateški okvir in nacionalne programe reform v skladu s strategijo Evropa 2020.

– Further targeting the CAP on the EU's broader policy priorities with the greening of direct aids to support more demanding environmental practices and positive improvements to boost innovation and competitiveness in the countryside, in addition to the cross-compliance concept;

Nadaljnja reforma SKP bi bila torej lahko različno intenzivna. Lahko bi se omejila na odpravo nekaterih sedanjih neskladnosti, npr. zagotovila pravičnejšo porazdelitev neposrednih plačil med državami članicami in kmeti. Lahko bi uvedla korenite spremembe politike, da bi dosegla bolj trajnostno kmetijsko politiko, ter preoblikovala razmerje med različnimi cilji politike, kmeti in državami članicami, zlasti z uvedbo bolj ciljnega pristopa pri določanju prednostnih nalog. Še radikalnejša reforma bi se oddaljila od dohodkovne podpore in večine tržnih ukrepov, osredotočila pa bi se bolj na okoljske in podnebne cilje kot pa na gospodarsko in socialno razsežnost SKP.

– Rural development should aim at fostering a competitive agricultural sector and innovation in areas like production processes and technological progress; economic diversification in rural areas; preserving the environment and natural resources; addressing climate change, both mitigation and adaptation; helping water management and resource efficiency; and offering specific support to the most disadvantaged in the rural economy – including those facing issues such as desertification;

3.3. Vključujoča rast

– Reliance on the market, coupled with the development of forms of insurance compatible with the WTO "green box", and other tools for the management of risks linked to sudden shifts in incomes, combined with better competitive conditions in the food supply chain;

Kohezijska politika in strategija Evropa 2020

– Better synergy between rural development and other EU policies, to help deliver policies in areas such as research, employment and network infrastructure, including integration with a common strategic framework and the National Reform Programmes under Europe 2020.

Kohezija se je izkazala za enega najuspešnejših načinov, s katerim lahko Unija pokaže, da je zavezana solidarnosti, hkrati pa prispeva k rasti in blaginji v celotni EU. Kohezijska politika ustvarja pozitivne učinke za vse: vlaganje v gospodarstva EU koristi vsem državam članicam. Zagotavlja sredstva za posodabljanje, pospešuje rast v gospodarsko najmanj razvitih delih EU in deluje kot sprožilec sprememb v vseh regijah Evrope. Širi trge in ustvarja nove poslovne priložnosti za celotno EU. Skupaj s strukturnimi reformami in makroekonomsko stabilnostjo lahko pomembno prispeva k rasti. Za zagotavljanje teh koristi morajo biti kohezijska sredstva dodeljena za prave cilje, da ustvarjajo kar največjo dodano vrednost. Za to je potrebna stroga osredotočenost na cilje Evrope 2020 in dosledna usmerjenost na rezultate.

Reform of the CAP could therefore be pursued with different degrees of intensity. It could restrict itself to ironing out some current discrepancies, such as more equity in the distribution of direct payments between Member States and farmers. It could make major overhauls of the policy in order to ensure that it becomes more sustainable, and reshapes the balance between different policy objectives, farmers and Member States, in particular by introducing a more targeted approach to priorities. A more radical reform would go further, moving away from income support and most market measures, and giving priority to environmental and climate change objectives rather than the economic and social dimensions of the CAP.

Dodeljevanje kohezijskih sredstev za cilje lizbonske strategije v obdobju 2007–2013 je pokazalo prednosti uporabe različnih finančnih instrumentov za izpolnitev glavnih ciljev politik. Za naslednje obdobje zagotavlja strategija Evropa 2020 pregleden niz skupnih prioritet in jasen okvir za opredelitev prioritet pri dodeljevanju sredstev. Evropa 2020 omogoča precej veliko bolj ciljno financiranje kot v preteklosti. Da bi dosegli pametno, trajnostno in vključujočo rast, bi lahko določili jasne prioritete, namenjene podpori novim podjetjem, inovacijam, zmanjšanju emisij, izboljšanju kakovosti okolja, posodobitvi univerz, varčevanju z energijo, razvoju energetskih, prometnih in telekomunikacijskih omrežij s skupnim interesom EU, naložbam v raziskovalno infrastrukturo, razvoju človeškega kapitala in aktivnemu vključevanju, ki bi prispevalo k boju proti revščini.

3.3. Inclusive growth

Eksplicitna povezava med kohezijsko politiko in Evropo 2020 daje resnično priložnost za EU, da lahko še naprej pomaga svojim revnejšim regijam pri dohitevanju razvitejših ter da nadalje razvija kohezijsko politiko tako, da bo imela pomembno vlogo pri omogočanju rasti v celotni EU. Nacionalni programi reform so pravo orodje za zagotavljanje, da so prioritete kohezijskih sredstev EU ter prioritete nacionalnih reform in proračunov učinkovite in usklajene.

Cohesion policy and Europe 2020

Kohezijska politika bi morala postati osnovni nosilec ciljev pametne, vključujoče in trajnostne rasti iz strategije Evropa 2020 v vseh regijah. Ta bi lahko bila močna spodbuda za politiko, saj bi utrdila obveznosti iz Pogodbe glede krepitve ekonomske, socialne in teritorialne kohezije, namenjene hitrejšemu zmanjševanju razlik v stopnji razvoja različnih regij. Kot že doslej bi morala biti sredstva Skupnosti usmerjena predvsem v najrevnejše regije in države članice v skladu z zavezanostjo Unije solidarnosti. Podpora kohezijske politike pa je pomembna tudi za druge dele Unije, in sicer za reševanje vprašanj, kot sta socialna izključenost ali propadanje okolja (na primer na urbanih območjih), za podporo gospodarskemu prestrukturiranju in prehodu na inovativnejše in bolj na znanju temelječe gospodarstvo ter za ustvarjanje delovnih mest in izboljšanje znanj. Posebno pozornost je treba nameniti regijam, ki so še vedno v procesu dohitevanja razvitejših delov. Preprost in pravičen sistem prehodne podpore bi preprečeval gospodarske pretrese zaradi nenadnega znižanja sredstev.

Cohesion has proved one of the most successful ways for the Union to demonstrate its commitment to solidarity, while spreading growth and prosperity across the EU. The policy has positive effects for all: investing in the economies of the EU benefits all Member States. It provides investment for modernisation, galvanises growth in the least prosperous parts of the EU and acts as a catalyst for change in all Europe's regions. It increases markets and creates new business opportunities for the EU as a whole. When coupled with structural reform and macroeconomic stability, it can make a real contribution to growth. However, to ensure these benefits, cohesion funding must be accurately targeted so that its added value is maximised. This points to a disciplined concentration on the objectives of Europe 2020, and a rigorous concentration on results.

Sedanje strateško načrtovanje bi bilo treba v več pogledih prilagoditi, da bi povečali dodano vrednost EU, in sicer s tesnejšim usklajevanjem med strategijo Evropa 2020 in kohezijsko politiko. Tako usklajevanje zahteva jasnejše vodenje na evropski ravni, bolj strateška pogajanja med partnerji na lokalni in regionalni ravni, državami članicami in Evropsko komisijo ter ustrezno spremljanje doseženega napredka. Tako naj bi ustvarili skupni občutek, da strategija Evropa 2020 usmerja politiko na vseh ravneh ter da so vsi odgovorni za ukrepe, ki naj bi jih izvajale EU, države članice in regije v medsebojnem partnerstvu.

The earmarking of cohesion spending in 2007-2013 to the objectives of the Lisbon strategy has shown the benefits of using a variety of financial instruments to pursue overarching policy objectives. For the next period the Europe 2020 strategy provides both a clear set of common priorities, and a clear framework for identification of funding priorities. Europe 2020 allows a much greater concentration than in the past. Clear priorities could be fixed to deliver smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, with work on: support for new businesses; innovation; reducing emissions; improving the quality of our environment; modernising universities; energy saving; the development of energy, transport and telecommunication networks with a common EU interest; investment in research infrastructure; human capital development; and active inclusion to help the fight against poverty.

Večja skoncentriranost in usklajenost

The explicit linkage of cohesion policy and Europe 2020 provides a real opportunity to both continue to help the poorer regions of the EU to catch up, and to develop further cohesion policy into an important enabler of growth for the whole of the EU. The National Reform Programmes offer the right vehicle to ensure that EU cohesion spending and national reform and spending priorities are working effectively in tandem.

Da bi v prihodnosti dosegli čim večji učinek kohezijskih sredstev, je treba poskrbeti, da bodo države članice in regije osredotočile vire EU in nacionalne vire na dogovorjena prednostna področja EU. To bi lahko dosegli tako, da bi opredelili omejeno število prednostnih področij evropskega pomena, ki bi bili prek strategije Evropa 2020 povezani s cilji sektorskih politik. Takšen seznam tematskih prednostnih področij, neposredno vezan na integrirane smernice in vodilne projekte strategije Evropa 2020, bi bil predstavljen v pravnih instrumentih kohezijske politike in bi odražal tudi njeno sposobnost odzivanja na različne potrebe (od velikih infrastrukturnih projektov v nekaterih regijah do majhnih projektov, jih izvajajo krajevne skupnosti na prikrajšanih urbanih območjih). Nujne bi bile medsektorske prioritete, kot so inovacije. Od razvitejših regij bi lahko zahtevali, da dodelijo celotna finančna sredstva, ki so na voljo, dvema ali trem prednostnim področjem, medtem ko bi manj razvite regije lahko namenile svoja obsežnejša sredstva nekoliko širšemu naboru prednostnih področij.

Cohesion policy should become a standard bearer for the objectives of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth of the Europe 2020 strategy in all regions. This can be a powerful driver for the policy, reinforcing the Treaty obligations of strengthening the Union's economic, social and territorial cohesion, so as to accelerate the process of reducing disparities between the levels of development of the different regions. As today, Community resources should be focused on the poorest regions and Member States in line with the Union's commitment to solidarity. Cohesion policy support is also important for the rest of the Union – to tackle issues like social exclusion or environmental degradation (for example in urban areas), to support economic restructuring and the shift to a more innovative and knowledge based economy, and to create jobs and improve skills. Particular attention needs to be paid to those regions which have not yet completed their process of catching up. A simple and fair system of transitional support would avoid an economic shock due a sudden drop of funding.

Nujna bi bila večja usklajenost z drugimi instrumenti EU, namenjenimi izvajanju politik na področjih, kot so promet, komunikacije, energetika, kmetijstvo, okolje in inovacije. Prejemnikom podpore EU bi bilo treba ponuditi skladen sveženj medsebojno dopolnjujočih se programov, ki bi omogočal „pametno specializacijo“, namesto da se morajo soočiti s kopico delno prekrivajočih se shem in različnih pravil. Večja skladnost pravil za upravičenost in izvajanje bi bila pomemben korak do celovitejšega izvajanja politik EU v praksi.

A number of adjustments to the current strategic programming are needed to increase the EU added value of strategic programming, through closer coordination between Europe 2020 and Cohesion Policy. This coordination requires clearer guidance at the European level, a more strategic negotiation process between partners at local and regional level, the Member State and the European Commission, and a proper follow-up of progress made. The result should be a common sense that Europe 2020 is driving policy at all levels, that all have ownership of actions to be undertaken in partnership by EU, national and regional levels.

Skupni strateški okvir

Greater concentration and coherence

Za okrepitev povezovanja politik EU za izvajanje strategije Evropa 2020 in v skladu z integriranimi smernicami bi Komisija lahko sprejela skupni strateški okvir, ki bi določal celovito naložbeno strategijo, s katero bi se cilji Evrope 2020 prenesli v naložbene prioritete. V njem bi opredelila zlasti potrebe po naložbah glede na glavne cilje in projekte vodilnih pobud ter reforme, potrebne za povečanje učinka naložb, podprtih s kohezijskimi sredstvi.

To maximize the impact of cohesion spending in the future, it will be necessary to ensure that Member States and regions concentrate EU and national resources on agreed EU priorities. This can be achieved by identifying a limited number of priorities of European importance, linked through the Europe 2020 Strategy to sectoral policy objectives. Such a "menu" of thematic priorities directly linked to the Integrated Guidelines and flagship projects of Europe 2020 would be presented in the legal instruments for cohesion, reflecting also the ability of cohesion policy to address different needs (such as from large infrastructure in some regions to small community led projects in deprived urban areas). Crosscutting priorities, such as innovation, would be obligatory. More developed regions could be required to allocate the entirety of the financial allocation available to two or three priorities, while less developed regions could devote their larger resources to a slightly wider range of priorities.

Tak okvir bi nadomestil sedanji pristop z ločenimi strateškimi smernicami za posamezne politike in bi zagotavljal večjo usklajenost med njimi. Zajemal bi ukrepe, ki se danes financirajo iz sredstev Kohezijskega sklada, Evropskega sklada za regionalni razvoj, Evropskega socialnega sklada, Evropskega sklada za ribištvo in Evropskega kmetijskega sklada za razvoj podeželja. Okvir bi določal tudi povezave in mehanizme usklajevanja z drugimi instrumenti EU, kot so programi za raziskave, inovacije, vseživljenjsko učenje in omrežja.

Increased coherence and coordination with other EU instruments delivering EU policies in areas including transport, communications, energy, agriculture, environment, and innovation would be essential. Beneficiaries of EU support should be offered a consistent set of programmes complementing each other and allowing for "smart specialisation", rather than being confronted with a multitude of partially overlapping schemes and different rules. A greater harmonization of eligibility and implementation rules would be an important step towards a more integrated delivery of EU policies on the ground.

Osredotočanje na pričakovanje rezultate podpore EU s pogodbami o razvojnem in naložbenem partnerstvu

A common strategic framework

Države članice bi na podlagi strateškega okvira v nacionalnih programih reform predstavile svoje razvojne strategije in se s tem jasno zavezale ukrepanju na prednostnih področjih EU na nacionalni in regionalni ravni. Ta strategija bi opredelila, kako nameravajo država članica in njene regije ukrepati v zvezi s prednostnimi področji in cilji, določenimi v strategiji Evropa 2020, vodilnimi projekti ter tematskimi in državnimi priporočili. Opredelila bi tudi pozitivne spremembe, ki jih nameravajo doseči s podporo EU. Rezultat razprave s Komisijo bi bila pogodba o razvojnem in naložbenem partnerstvu, ki bi jo podpisali Komisija in država članica ter ki bi vsebovala zaveze partneric na nacionalni in regionalni ravni.

In order to strengthen the integration of EU policies for the delivery of the Europe 2020 strategy and in accordance with the Integrated Guidelines, the Commission could adopt a common Strategic Framework, outlining a comprehensive investment strategy translating the targets and objectives of Europe 2020 into investment priorities. It would identify, in particular, investment needs in relation to headline targets and flagship projects. It would also highlight the reforms needed to maximise the impact of investment supported by cohesion policy.

Pogodba bi določala cilje, ki jih je treba doseči, ter način kvantitativne opredelitve in merjenja napredka pri izpolnjevanju teh ciljev. Določala bi tudi razporeditev nacionalnih sredstev in sredstev EU po prednostnih področjih in programih. Poleg tega bi pogodba določala omejeno število pogojev glede reform, potrebnih za uspešno izpolnjevanje ciljev. Po potrebi bi navajala tudi strateške projekte, ki jih je treba vključiti (npr. ključne prometne in energetske povezave). Opredelila bi tudi način usklajevanja sredstev EU na nacionalni ravni.

Such a framework would replace the current approach of separate sets of strategic guidelines for policies and would ensure greater coordination between them. It would encompass the actions covered today by the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the European Fisheries Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The framework would also identify linkages and coordination mechanisms with other EU instruments such as programmes for research, innovation, lifelong learning, and networks.

Tak pristop bi omogočil, da bi povezali prvotno možno razdelitev sredstev med države članice in regije – torej politično odločitev za izražanje solidarnosti – z učinkovitim mehanizmom, ki bi zagotovil, da bi raven pomoči ustrezala doseženim ciljem.

A Development and Investment Partnership Contract to focus on the results expected from EU support

Izboljšanje kakovosti porabe

Based on the Strategic Framework, Member States would present their development strategy in their National Reform Programmes, in order to ensure strong ownership of EU priorities and national and regional level. This strategy would identify how the Member State and its regions seek to address the priorities and targets established in Europe 2020, the Flagship projects and thematic and country-specific recommendations. It would also define the positive changes they aim to achieve with EU support. The result of the discussion with the Commission would be a Development and Investment Partnership Contract between the Commission and the Member State reflecting the commitments of partners at national and regional level.

Institucionalne zmogljivosti javnega sektorja na nacionalni, regionalni in lokalni ravni so ključne za uspešno oblikovanje, izvajanje in spremljanje politik, potrebnih za izpolnitev ciljev strategije Evropa 2020. Nemoteno črpanje sredstev Skupnosti je močno odvisno tudi od tehničnih in upravnih zmogljivosti sodelujočih javnih organov in upravičencev. Okrepitev institucionalnih in upravnih zmogljivosti lahko omogoči strukturne prilagoditve ter pospeši rast in ustvarjanje delovnih mest, s tem pa bistveno izboljša tudi kakovost javne porabe. Zato bi bilo treba pri dodeljevanju finančnih sredstev upoštevati sposobnost držav članic in regij za učinkovito porabo teh sredstev ter potrebo po spoštovanju načel sofinanciranja in dodatnosti, pa tudi obremenitev za nacionalne proračune.

The Contract would set out the objectives to be achieved, how progress towards the achievement of these objectives will be quantified and measured and the allocation of national and EU resources among priority areas and programmes. The Contract would also establish a limited number of conditionalities, linked to the reforms needed to ensure effective delivery. Where relevant, it would identify strategic projects to be included (e.g. key transport and energy interconnectors). It would also describe the coordination between EU funds to be applied at national level.

Kohezijska politika ima v tem pogledu lahko pomembno vlogo, saj lahko zagotavlja sredstva za ukrepe krepitve institucionalnih zmogljivosti, podpira upravne reforme in spodbuja kulturo, usmerjeno v storilnost in rezultate. Tovrstno pomoč bi lahko poglobili z namenskimi instrumenti tehnične pomoči za podporo državam članicam in regijam pri pripravi, izvajanju in spremljanju obsežnih investicijskih programov na področjih, kot sta omrežna infrastruktura ali okolje.

The result of such an approach would be to link the initial potential allocation of resources between Member States and regions – a political choice about how to express solidarity – with an effective mechanism ensuring that the level of support is matched by the achievement of targets and objectives.

Še ena možnost za izboljšanje kakovosti porabe bi bila uvedba neke vrste kakovostnega tekmovanja med programi, ki kandidirajo za kohezijska sredstva. Manjši del kohezijskih sredstev bi na primer lahko ohranili v rezervi za uspešnost, ki bi bila na voljo vsem upravičenim državam članicam in regijam, sredstva iz nje pa bi se dodeljevala na podlagi napredka, ki bi ga dosegli nacionalni in regionalni programi pri izpolnjevanju ciljev strategije Evropa 2020.

Improving the quality of expenditure

Prava znanja za delovno silo prihodnosti

The institutional capacity of the public sector at national, regional and local level is key for successful development, implementation and monitoring of the policies needed to reach Europe 2020 objectives. The smooth absorption of Community resources also critically depends on the technical and administrative capacity of the participating public authorities and beneficiaries. Strengthening institutional and administrative capacity can underpin structural adjustments and foster growth and jobs – and in turn significantly improve the quality of public expenditure. The allocation of financial resources should therefore take into account the capacity of Member States and regions to effectively utilise these resources and the need to respect the principles of co-financing and additionality, as well as recognising the pressure on the national budgets.

Evropsko na znanju temelječe gospodarstvo potrebuje delovno silo z več znanja in kakovostnejšim znanjem. Za vse več delovnih mest bo potrebna višja izobrazba. Zato bi se moralo ukrepanje EU usmeriti zlasti na doseganje ciljev za leto 2020, torej usposabljanje za potrebe gospodarstva prihodnosti. Ciljne naložbe lahko omogočijo velike dodatne koristi pri spodbujanju prilagodljivosti in vseživljenjskega učenja, zlasti s podporo nacionalnim strategijam pri reformah sistemov izobraževanja in usposabljanja ter pri krepitvi institucionalnih zmogljivosti.

Cohesion policy can play an important role in this respect by financing institutional capacity measures, promoting administrative reform, and fostering a culture geared to performance and results. This could be deepened through focused technical assistance facilities to support Member States and regions in preparing, implementing and monitoring large investment programmes in areas such as network infrastructure or environment.

Evropski socialni sklad že zagotavlja podporo za usposabljanje za približno 9 milijonov Evropejcev vsako leto. Odraža uravnoteženost ekonomskih politik EU in v praksi dokazuje, da EU poleg rasti aktivno spodbuja tudi vključenost. Uporablja čezmejne izkušnje za podpiranje družbenih skupin ali področij politik, ki bi sicer prejemale malo ali nič pomoči, ter namenja posebno pozornost inovativnim pristopom k zaposlovanju, usposabljanju in socialni vključenosti.

Another technique to increase the quality of spending would be to introduce some form of qualitative competition among programmes for cohesion funding. This could mean setting aside a limited share of cohesion funding in a performance reserve open to all eligible Member States and regions. It would be allocated on the basis on progress made by national and regional programmes towards Europe 2020 objectives.

Evropski socialni sklad bi lahko prilagodil svoja prednostna področja v skladu s cilji strategije za leto 2020. S celovito evropsko pobudo za zaposlovanje bi lahko izboljšali znanje, mobilnost, prilagodljivost in udeležbo v družbi prek skupnih pobud na področju izobraževanja, zaposlovanja in integracije. Še eno vprašanje, ki neposredno zadeva EU, je integracija manjšin (npr. Romov) in migrantov. Ukrepi za zagotavljanje socialne vključenosti in zakonitih pravic migrantom so namreč tesno povezani s pristopom EU k migracijam v njihovi celoti. Hkrati pa osrednje mesto, ki ga imajo delovna mesta in znanje v viziji EU za razvoj gospodarstva, kaže na potrebo po večji opaznosti in predvidljivem obsegu financiranja znotraj zgoraj opisanega skupnega strateškega kohezijskega okvira.

The right skills for tomorrow's workforce

Podpiranje sektorjev pod pritiskom

A workforce with more and better skills is central to a European economy built on knowledge. More and more jobs will rely on higher skills. EU action should therefore be focused on securing the 2020 objectives, training for the needs of tomorrow's economy. Targeted investment can offer significant added value in encouraging adaptability and lifelong learning, in particular by assisting national strategies for reforming education and training systems and for improving institutional capacity.

Zaradi obsega in raznolikosti gospodarstva EU se nujno dogaja, da nekateri občasno plačujejo ceno za koristi, ki jih uživamo vsi. Na primer, s podpisom trgovinskega sporazuma se odprejo pomembni novi trgi za izvoz EU, vendar se zaradi tega znatno spremeni konkurenčno okolje za določene sektorje. Evropski sklad za prilagoditev globalizaciji je dober zgled, kako je mogoče odpraviti take lokalizirane negativne učinke. Lahko bi vzpostavili razširjen stalen sklad, ki bi pomagal blažiti učinke večjih pretresov, ki prizadenejo delovno silo države članice. Poleg tega je treba delovanje Evropskega sklada za prilagoditev globalizaciji poenostaviti, da se bo lahko hitreje odzival na spremembe gospodarskih razmer.

The European Social Fund already supports training for some 9 million Europeans each year. It reflects a balance in EU economic policies – a practical demonstration of how the EU actively promotes inclusion alongside growth. It uses cross-border experience to bring support to social groups or policy areas that would otherwise receive little or no support, as well as a special focus on innovative approaches to employment, training and social inclusion.

3.4. Državljanstvo

The European Social Fund could be refocused on securing the 2020 objectives. A comprehensive European Employment initiative could improve skills, mobility, adaptability and participation in society through joint initiatives in the area of education, employment and integration. Another strand of direct importance to the EU is the integration of minorities such as the Roma and migrants, where action to ensure social inclusion and legal rights for migrants is closely linked to the EU approach to migration as a whole. At the same time, the importance of jobs and skills to the EU's vision for the economy points to the need for both greater visibility and predictable funding volumes within the common strategic cohesion framework described above.

Veliko različnih programov financiranja EU na različne načine prispeva k utrjevanju državljanstva EU. Vsakič, ko državljani vidijo konkretne učinke delovanja EU – od štipendij za mobilnost do rezultatov raziskav in lokalnih kohezijskih projektov – to pripomore k zavedanju, da Unija deluje v njihovo korist. Programi, ki podpirajo kulturno raznolikost, kažejo, kako se lahko evropska integracija dotakne državljanov na najrazličnejše načine.

Supporting sectors put under pressure

Delovanje EU na tem področju sega tudi na področje pravic, saj vključuje spodbujanje temeljnih pravic ter vrednot EU. Ukrepi bi lahko zajemali razvoj EU kot območja pravice, kar bi odpravilo ovire za dobro delovanje čezmejnih civilnih postopkov ter za stike med podjetji in potrošniki, spodbujalo vzajemno priznavanje in zaupanje v kazenskih postopkih ter omogočalo dostop do sodnega varstva v celotni EU.

The scale and diverse profile of the EU economy means that inevitably, there are times when the benefits enjoyed by the many come at the cost of the few. An example might be a trade agreement that opens up significant new markets for EU exports, but which means a significant change in the competitive climate for particular sectors. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund has already provided a good example of how such localised negative effects can be tackled, and an extended fund could be put on a permanent footing to help cushion the impact of certain major disruptions on the workforce in a Member State. The functioning of this Fund needs also to be simplified to become more reactive to changes of economic circumstances.

Tudi bolj specifični programi na področju kulture in državljanstva lahko pomagajo Evropejcem, da bodo pripravljeni na premagovanje kulturnih preprek in bodo lahko izkoristili vse možnosti, ki jih ponuja evropski prostor. Različne programe, namenjene spodbujanju kulturnega sodelovanja in evropske kulturne dediščine, stikom med državljani in vključevanju mladih v evropsko družbo, bi lahko povezali v en sam prepoznaven program, ki bi spodbujal evropsko enotnost in raznolikost ter bi lahko izkoristil prednosti skupnega upravljanja.

3.4. Citizenship

Odgovornost EU do njenih državljanov se kaže tudi v Solidarnostnem skladu Evropske unije. Z njim je EU pokazala svojo kolektivno pripravljenost na sodelovanje pri odzivanju na krizne razmere. Od leta 2002 je EU uspela zagotoviti več kot 2,1 milijarde EUR za podporo državam članicam in regijam, ki so jih prizadele velike naravne nesreče. Vendar so izkušnje pokazale na nekatere pomembne omejitve in slabosti pri delovanju Sklada. Hitrost zagotavljanja pomoči iz Sklada, preglednost meril za njegovo uporabo in njegova omejenost na nesreče naravnega izvora – vse to so vprašanja, ki jih je treba še obravnavati. Sklad se na primer ne financira stalno in ga ni mogoče uporabiti za vse vrste večjih nesreč. Prispevek iz proračuna EU bi lahko pomagal tudi zapolniti vrzeli v sistemu, ki preprečujejo, da bi po potrebi lahko na hitro mobilizirali enote civilne zaščite držav članic – gre za primer sodelovanja na ravni EU, ki bi lahko pomenilo bistveno razliko za ljudi, ki potrebujejo pomoč, tako znotraj kot zunaj EU.

Many different EU spending programmes contribute in different ways to the consolidation of EU citizenship. Every time a citizen sees the concrete effects of EU action – from mobility grants to the results of research to local cohesion projects – it helps to illustrate the vocation of the Union to serve its citizens. Programmes which support cultural diversity help to show how European integration can touch citizens in a huge variety of ways.

Še eno pomembno področje, ki neposredno zadeva državljane, je financiranje politik, namenjenih zagotavljanju svobode, varnosti in pravice. To so politike, katerih uspešno izvajanje je nedvomno v skupnem interesu. Podpora učinkovitemu nadzoru meja, izmenjavi informacij in strokovnega znanja za učinkovite sodne postopke ali izvajanju azilne in migracijske politike koristi Uniji kot celoti. V naslednjem obdobju financiranja se bo treba osredotočiti na upravljanje zunanjih meja (vključno s sistemoma SIS II / VIS in prihodnjim sistemom vstopa/izstopa), politiko vračanja, azil in integracijo zakonitih priseljencev. Pri teh vprašanjih so prednostna vprašanja delitev bremena med državami članicami, podpora delu nacionalnih uprav ter združevanje nacionalnih virov in proračuna EU, da bi poiskali stroškovno učinkovite načine zagotavljanja uspešnega izvajanja teh politik.

EU action in this area also covers the "rights" dimension, such promoting fundamental rights and EU values. Action could include developing the EU as an area of justice to eliminate obstacles for the good functioning of cross-border civil proceedings and business-to-consumer relations, promoting mutual recognition and mutual trust in criminal proceedings, and fostering access to justice throughout the EU.

3.5. Predpristopna pomoč

More specific cultural and citizenship programmes also help preparing Europeans to overcome cultural barriers and use the opportunities of the European space to the full. Different programmes aiming at promoting cultural cooperation and Europe's cultural heritage, citizens' interaction and the involvement of young people in European society might be integrated into one visible programme promoting European unity in diversity and could benefit from joint management.

Finančna podpora za tesnejšo integracijo v procesu širitve pomaga EU dosegati zastavljene cilje na številnih področjih, ki so ključna za gospodarsko okrevanje in trajnostno rast (npr. energetika, omrežne infrastrukture, varstvo okolja in prizadevanja za obvladovanje podnebnih sprememb). Prav tako prispeva k zagotavljanju, da so države kandidatke in potencialne kandidatke v celoti pripravljene za pristop, med drugim s spodbujanjem držav, naj prednostne naloge EU, povezane s cilji strategije Evropa 2020, vključijo v nacionalne prednostne naloge. Zato bi morala predpristopna pomoč ostati eden od instrumentov za uspešno pripravo na širitev.

The responsibilities of the EU towards its citizens are also shown in the European Union Solidarity Fund. This has allowed the EU to demonstrate its collective commitment to help respond to situations of crisis. Since 2002, the EU has been able to grant more than € 2.1 billion to support Member States and regions hit by major natural disasters. However, experience points to some important limitations and weaknesses in the operation of the Fund. The speed with which aid from the Fund is made available, the transparency of the criteria for mobilising the Fund and its limitation to disasters of natural origin are all issues to address. For example, the Fund is not funded on a permanent footing and cannot help follow all kinds of major disasters. An EU budget contribution could also help to plug gaps in the system which prevent Member States' civil protection teams from being deployed quickly where they are needed, and help the development of an effective civil protection network – an example of EU cooperation that can make a real difference to those in need both inside and outside the EU.

3.6 Globalna Evropa

Another important area of direct relevance to citizens is spending on policies central to the delivery of freedom, security and justice. These are policies where there is a clear common interest in successful delivery. Support to effective border management, to the exchange of information and expertise to apply justice effectively, or to implement policies on asylum and migration, benefits the Union as a whole. The emphasis in the next financing period will have to be on management of external borders (including SIS II/VIS and the future entry/exit system), return policy, asylum and integration of legal immigrants. On these issues, burden sharing among Member States, support to the work of national administrations and pooling of resources with the EU budget are priorities in order to find cost-effective ways of ensuring the effective delivery of these policies.

Evropejci pričakujejo, da bo EU ščitila svoje interese in uveljavila svoj vpliv na mednarodnem prizorišču. Vprašanja, kot so zmanjševanje revščine, migracije, konkurenčnost, podnebne spremembe, energetika, terorizem in organizirani kriminal, je mogoče reševati le na mednarodni ravni. V dobi globalizacije je nujno, da notranji načrt zagotavljanja trajnostne rasti in delovnih mest v Evropi dopolnjuje tudi zunanji načrt. Poleg tega ima seveda tudi solidarnost zunanjo razsežnost. EU je po pravici lahko ponosna, saj je največja svetovna donatorka razvojne in humanitarne pomoči ter s svojimi državami članicami zagotavlja približno 55 % pomoči po vsem svetu – je torej vodilna sila v boju proti revščini, ki se zelo dobro zaveda pomena razvojnih ciljev tisočletja za stabilnost, varnost in blaginjo velikega dela sveta.

3.5. Pre-accession support

Za učinkovito rabo sredstev EU na mednarodni ravni veljajo ista pravila kot pri porabi sredstev znotraj Unije: premišljen razmislek, na katerih področjih lahko s kolektivnim ukrepanjem dosežemo več kot z ukrepi na nacionalni ravni, skladnost med programi porabe in ključnimi politikami ter svež pogled na mehanizme in instrumente izvajanja, ki se uporabljajo.

Financial support for closer integration through the enlargement process helps the EU to achieve its objectives in a number of areas which are key to economic recovery and sustainable growth, including energy, network infrastructures, the protection of the environment and efforts to address climate change. It also helps to ensure that candidate countries and potential candidates are fully prepared for eventual accession, including through encouraging countries to consolidate EU priorities linked to Europe 2020 objectives into their national priorities. It should therefore continue to be one of the tools to promote successful enlargement.

Uporabo tega pristopa bodo olajšale nove strukture za zunanje delovanje, uvedene z Lizbonsko pogodbo, ki bodo omogočale ustvarjalno uporabo različnih orodij zunanje politike EU in delovanje znotraj dolgoročnega strateškega okvira.

3.6 Global Europe

Uveljavljanje vrednot in interesov EU v svetu

Europeans expect the EU to promote its interests and exert its influence on the international stage. Issues such as poverty alleviation, migration, competitiveness, climate change, energy, terrorism and organised crime can only be tackled in an international context. In the age of globalisation, it is essential that the internal agenda of securing sustainable growth and jobs in Europe is complemented with an external agenda. In addition, of course, solidarity has an external dimension: the EU is rightly proud to be the world's largest development and humanitarian donor – with the EU and its Member States providing around 55% of the total worldwide – a champion of the fight against poverty, and is acutely conscious of the importance of the Millennium Development Goals to the stability, security and well-being of large areas of the globe.

Z ustanovitvijo Evropske službe za zunanje delovanje bo EU dobila orodja, ki jih potrebuje za izboljšanje sposobnosti, da svoje interese uveljavlja po vsem svetu v skladu s svojo gospodarsko in politično močjo. Da bi EU lahko učinkovito usmerjala svoje instrumente na ustrezne cilje, potrebuje jasen strateški pregled, pravi odnos s partnerskimi tretjimi državami in dobro zasnovane instrumente. Instrumenti morajo biti dovolj odzivni na spreminjajoče se prioritete in prilagojeni različnim razmeram. Nekatera od glavnih svetovnih vprašanj, s katerimi se danes sooča Unija, pa terjajo posebno pozornost. EU in države članice bodo denimo morale biti sposobne uresničiti svoje zaveze glede financiranja ukrepov za obvladovanje podnebnih sprememb. To vprašanje si zasluži poseben premislek, na katerega bo vplival razvoj pogajanj in ki bo moral zagotoviti skladnost in prepoznavnost prispevka EU k mednarodnim prizadevanjem, učinkovitost ter možnost ekonomij obsega pri upravljanju izplačil. Pretehtati je treba tudi, ali bi bilo treba financiranje iz proračuna EU dopolniti s posebnim instrumentom, da bi zagotovili stabilen in prepoznaven kolektivni prispevek EU. Migracije so še eno od področij, na katerih bi bilo treba učinkovito uskladiti ukrepe znotraj EU in zunaj njenih meja.

The same rules apply to the effective use of EU resources internationally as inside the Union: an intelligent look at where collective action can deliver better value than a collection of national actions; coherence between spending programmes and key policies; and a fresh look at the delivery mechanisms and instruments being used.

Odzivanje na krizne razmere

Applying this approach will be facilitated by the new structures for external relations under the Lisbon Treaty, with the opportunity to use the different tools of EU external policy creatively, and to work within a long-term strategic framework.

Zelo pomembno je, da se izboljša sposobnost Unije za odzivanje na konflikte ali nesreče velikega obsega. Bistven prispevek EU k splošnejši varnostni razsežnosti zunanjih odnosov kaže na potrebo po nadgradnji sedanjih orodij, kot so instrument za stabilnost, ukrepi SZVP in misije za opazovanje volitev. Treba je izboljšati hitrost uporabe teh instrumentov, njihovo prožnost in sposobnost za prilagajanje ukrepov spreminjajočim se političnim razmeram.

Projecting the EU's values and interests globally

Humanitarna pomoč EU je eden najbolj vidnih in učinkovitih virov nujne pomoči. Vendar bi morali fazi nujne pomoči hitreje in v večjem obsegu slediti razvojni ukrepi za obnovo po kriznih razmerah in večjo odpornost v prihodnosti. Trenutno je to oteženo zaradi neprožnosti proračuna. Proračun za humanitarno pomoč je moral v sedanjem obdobju financiranja vsako leto poseči po rezervi za nujno pomoč, kar kaže, da so potrebe v tem delu proračuna zelo velike.

The establishment of the EEAS gives the EU the tools it needs to improve the ability of the EU's to project its interests across the world, in line with its economic and political importance. The ability of the EU to target its instruments effectively needs a clear strategic overview, the right relationship with third country partners, and well-designed instruments. Instruments need to be sufficiently responsive to changing priorities and adapted to different circumstances. Some of the key global issues faced by the Union today need particular attention. For example, the EU and its Member States will need to be able to deliver on climate finance commitments. This deserves a separate reflection which will be influenced by the progress of negotiations and will need to ensure the coherence and visibility of the EU contribution to international efforts; effectiveness; and permit economies of scale in the management of disbursements. It should also include whether the role of the EU budget should be complemented by a separate instrument to bring together a stable and visible collective EU contribution. Another example is migration, which faces the need to calibrate effectively action inside the EU and beyond its borders.

Zmanjševanje revščine

Responding to crisis situations

Evropa temelji na vrednotah, zato je boj proti svetovni revščini eden od temeljnih ciljev EU. Pomoč najmanj razvitim državam pomembno prispeva k reševanju problemov, kot sta dostop do hrane, zdravja, izobraževanja in čiste vode ter prilagajanje na posledice podnebnih sprememb. EU je vodilna pri prizadevanjih za uresničitev razvojnih ciljev tisočletja do leta 2015. Kolektivna zaveza EU, da bo do leta 2015 namenila 0,7 % BND za uradno razvojno pomoč, izhaja iz zavedanja, kako pomembno je zunanje financiranje za doseganje naših ciljev. Gre za precejšnje povečanje skupnega obsega razvojne pomoči.

It is particularly important to improve the Union's ability to respond to large-scale conflicts or disasters. The EU's essential contribution to the broader security dimension of external relations points to a need to build on current tools like the Instrument for Stability, CFSP actions and Election Observation Missions. Speed of deployment, flexibility and the ability to modulate action in line with changing political circumstances are all essential components.

Ker obstajajo jasni dokazi, da lahko razvojna politika na ravni EU omogoči visoko dodano vrednost, bi morala raven EU prispevati svoj delež k temu povečanju. Razvojna politika EU že zdaj deluje po vsem svetu (v primerjavi z razvojnimi politikami držav članic, ki se osredotočajo na omejeno število partneric) in je v mnogih partnerskih državah edini pomembni zunanji akter na razvojnem področju. EU je s svojim delovanjem sposobna izpolnjevati dosleden in usklajen niz ciljev EU po vsem svetu. Zato delovanje EU v smislu prisotnosti, obsega in ciljne usmerjenosti ukrepov ter politične teže omogoča bistvene prednosti v primerjavi z nacionalnim ukrepanjem. Ponuja velik potencial za boljšo delitev dela med donatorji, spodbujanje znatnih ekonomij obsega in enotno kontaktno točko za upravičenke. Poleg tega mu težo in legitimnost daje tudi skupno delovanje 27 držav članic.

The EU's humanitarian aid is one of the most high-profile and effective suppliers of emergency assistance. However, the phase of emergency aid should be more quickly and substantially followed by development actions to rebuild from crisis situations and to develop more resilience for the future. This is held back by the inflexibilities in the budget. The humanitarian aid budget has had to access the Emergency Aid Reserve every year of the present financing period, pointing to the heavy calls being made in this area of the budget.

Izkušnje kažejo, da je za učinkovito in kakovostno zagotavljanje razvojne pomoči potrebno posebno prizadevanje pri usklajevanju donatorjev in postopkih upravljanja. EU ima kot vodilna svetovna donatorka pri vprašanjih, kot so upravljanje, regionalno sodelovanje, gospodarski razvoj in infrastruktura, vpliv, kakršnega države članice same ne morejo doseči. Po sprejetju Evropskega soglasja o razvoju leta 2006[8] je bil dosežen napredek pri združevanju sredstev vseh evropskih donatorjev, da bi preprečili podvajanje in zagotovili ustrezna povečana sredstva, kadar je potrebno. Kljub temu pomoč ostaja razdrobljena, kar vodi v neučinkovitost s finančnimi in političnimi posledicami. Odprava teh slabosti bi državam članicam zagotovila veliko večjo učinkovitost (po oceni do 6 milijard EUR letno[9]), olajšala delo uprav partnerskih držav in omogočila EU, da v celoti uporabi svoj vpliv. Druge ključne prednostne naloge vključujejo zagotovitev pravega ravnotežja med predvidljivostjo obsega pomoči za partnerske države in potrebo po ustrezni prilagodljivosti na spreminjajoče se razmere, kot so spremembe cen hrane, ter zagotavljanje učinkovitih programov obnove po nesrečah.

Poverty Alleviation

Vzpostavljeni so bili skrbniški skladi EU, kakršen je Skrbniški sklad EU-Afrika za infrastrukturo, ki zagotavljajo donacije Komisije in držav članic na tak način, da jih je mogoče povezati s posojilno zmogljivostjo EIB in razvojnih bank držav članic, kar ustvarja pomemben multiplikacijski učinek. Te možnosti bi lahko podrobneje proučili.

As a Europe built on values, combating global poverty is one of the EU’s core goals. Assistance to least developed countries makes a real impact on challenges like access to food, health, education and clean water, as well as adapting to the consequences of climate change. The EU is at the forefront of efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Its collective commitment to dedicate 0.7% of GNI by 2015 to official development aid recognises the important role external financial action plays in reaching our objectives. It implies a substantial increase of the overall volume of development assistance.

Dodatne prioritete zajemajo zagotavljanje, da razvojna politika EU znatno in neposredno prispeva k bistvenemu izboljšanju upravljanja v partnerskih državah, in nadaljnje izboljševanje dejanskega učinka pomoči. To vključuje večjo usmerjenost na projekte, ki ustvarjajo pomembno dodano vrednost Skupnosti, ter jasne, osredotočene in v rezultate usmerjene sporazume o partnerstvu. Izkušnje z različnimi finančnimi sistemi, ki se uporabljajo za Evropski razvojni sklad in instrument za financiranje razvojnega sodelovanja, so opozorile na pomembna vprašanja v zvezi z učinkovitostjo, prilagodljivostjo in demokratičnim postopkom, ki jih je treba podrobneje proučiti.

Since there is clear evidence that development policy at EU level can offer high value added, the EU level should play its part in this increase. EU development policy already offers a global reach – compared to Member States' concentration on a limited number of partners – and for many partner countries, it is the only significant development presence to be seen. Through its action, the EU is able to implement a consistent and coherent set of objectives across the world. So in terms of presence, scale and focus of operations and political weight EU intervention offers significant benefits over national action. It offers a big potential for a better division of labour between donors, promoting important economies of scale and a single contact point for beneficiaries. It also carries the weight and legitimacy associated with 27 Member States acting together.

Poleg tega mora EU razmisliti, kako bi lahko razvila bolj dodelan pristop k spreminjajoči se naravi partneric, npr. držav srednjega dohodkovnega razreda in gospodarstev v vzponu, pri katerih so poleg razvojnih vprašanj vse bolj v ospredju vprašanja v zvezi s sodelovanjem na področjih, kot je gospodarsko, okoljsko in socialno partnerstvo.

Experience shows that effective, high quality delivery needs a particular effort in terms of donor coordination and governance arrangements. The EU's role as the primary global donor gives it a voice on issues such as governance, regional cooperation, economic development and infrastructure not possible for Member States acting alone. Following the adoption of the European Consensus on Development in 2006 [8], progress has been made in pooling resources from all European aid donors to prevent overlaps and bring concentration where necessary. But fragmentation of aid remains, causing inefficiencies with both financial and political consequences. Tackling these weaknesses would bring both substantial efficiency gains for Member States – estimated at up to € 6 billion a year [9] – facilitate the work of partner country administrations, and help the EU to use its influence to the full. Other key priorities include the right balance between predictability in aid levels for partner countries and the need for an appropriate degree of flexibility, to adapt to changing situations such as major changes in food prices and the need to deliver effective post-disaster reconstruction programmes.

Tesno in učinkovito sodelovanje EU z najbližjimi sosedskimi državami

EU trust funds such as the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund have been created, which channel grant resources from the Commission and Member States in such a way that they can be blended with the lending capacity of the EIB and Member State development banks – bringing an important multiplier effect. These can be explored further.

Sosedske države EU imajo skupaj približno 300 milijonov prebivalcev, zato predstavljajo pomembno priložnost za EU. Da bi EU lahko zagotavljala dolgoročno blaginjo in stabilnost ter dokazala, da je sposobna prevzeti odgovornosti svetovnega akterja, mora učinkovito uveljavljati svoje vrednote in podpirati gospodarski razvoj ob svojih mejah. Finančna podpora je lahko pomemben vzvod za izvajanje učinkovite sosedske politike. Tu bi moral biti poudarek na zagotavljanju zanimivih spodbud za reforme in sodelovanje v sosedskih državah, ne glede na njihovo dolgoročno perspektivo glede pristopa k EU. Posebno podporo bi bilo zlasti treba zagotavljati v okviru poglobljenih in celovitih prostotrgovinskih sporazumov in usklajevanja s pravnim redom za področje enotnega trga. Prednost bi morala imeti področja, povezana s pravnim redom in strateškimi prednostnimi nalogami EU, npr. energetika, migracije in nadzor meja ter varstvo okolja, s posebnim poudarkom na krepitvi zmogljivosti in vzpostavljanju institucij.

Additional priorities are to ensure that EU development policy makes a strong and direct contribution to significantly improving governance in partner countries and continuing to improve the real impact of aid. This includes an increased focus on projects showing strong Community added value, and partnership agreements that are clear, focused and result-orientated. The experience with respect to the different financial regimes that apply to the European Development Fund and the Development and Cooperation Instrument today has raised important issues in terms of efficiency, flexibility and democratic procedure, which require further examination.

Sosedska politika je že zdaj eden najboljših zgledov, kako je mogoče usklajeno delovanje proračuna EU in evropskih finančnih institucij uporabiti kot vzvod za čim močnejše povečanje naložb v socialni in gospodarski razvoj. Prispevek iz proračuna EU v višini 117 milijonov EUR proračunskih obveznosti za kombinirane mehanizme je privabil 7 milijard EUR naložb evropskih finančnih institucij. Ta pristop bi bilo mogoče dodatno razviti.

In addition, the EU needs to consider how a more sophisticated approach to the changing nature of partners can be developed, such as middle-income countries and emerging economies, where cooperation issues in areas including economic, environmental and social partnership are becoming increasingly important, alongside development ones.

3.7. Upravni odhodki

Close and effective relations with the EU's closest neighbours

V sedanjem finančnem okviru je za upravne odhodke namenjenega 5,7 % proračuna. Ta sredstva krijejo ne le stroške osebja, informacijske tehnologije in stavb za vse institucije, temveč tudi stroške delovanja v 23 jezikih. Institucije so večinoma zaključile zaposlovanje kandidatov iz novejših držav članic, zato bi se moralo število osebja stabilizirati. Komisija dejansko že od leta 2007 uporablja politiko ničelne rasti, kar pomeni, da ne zaposluje novega osebja (razen uslužbencev, ki so bili zaposleni v okviru širitve) in nove prednostne naloge opravlja s prerazporejanjem obstoječega osebja. Svet, Parlament in druge institucije so zaprosili za nekaj dodatnih delovnih mest, povezanih z Lizbonsko pogodbo. Ustanovitev Evropske službe za zunanje delovanje bo na začetku zahtevala dodatna delovna mesta za zaposlovanje diplomatov iz držav članic, čeprav si je treba prizadevati, da bo celoten proces s proračunskega vidika dolgoročno nevtralen.

The EU's neighbourhood, with some 300 million people, represents an important opportunity for the EU. To secure long-term prosperity and stability and to prove its ability to assume its responsibilities as a global player, the EU needs to effectively promote its values and support economic development close to its borders. Financial support can be an important lever to deliver an effective neighbourhood policy. Here the emphasis should be on providing credible reform and cooperation incentives to the EU's neighbours, whether or not they have any long-term perspective of EU accession. Specific support should in particular be provided in the context of deep and comprehensive free trade agreements and the alignment with the single market acquis. Areas close to the acquis and to the EU's own strategic priorities – such as energy, migration and border controls, and environmental protection – should be prioritised, with a particular focus on capacity- and institution- building.

Pri določanju naslednjega finančnega okvira bo treba dosledno poiskati možnosti za večjo učinkovitost in uspešnost upravnih virov. Zato je treba proučiti, kako bi lahko z racionalizacijo in skupno uporabo postopkov, instrumentov in sredstev omejili stroške delovanja institucij in agencij EU. Komisija je na primer nedavno začela pomembno analizo uporabe informacijske tehnologije, na podlagi katere naj bi izboljšala uspešnost in prihranila pri stroških. Z razvojem skupnih informacijskih sistemov za vse institucije bi morda lahko ustvarili skupne prihranke. Podobne oblike medinstitucionalnega sodelovanja bi lahko prinesle koristi na področjih, kot sta prevajanje ali upravljanje dokumentov. Razmisliti bi veljalo tudi o oblikovanju samih programov porabe, pri čemer bi bilo treba zelo upoštevati upravno breme za Komisijo in partnerice. Hkrati bo Komisija tudi v prihodnje prerazporejala osebje v skladu s prednostnimi nalogami, zniževala režijske stroške in povečevala sredstva za zaposlene, ki se ukvarjajo z najpomembnejšimi politikami. Komisija bo v okviru priprav na naslednji finančni okvir pregledala svoje upravne odhodke ter upravne odhodke agencij, da bi opredelila načine za reševanje novih izzivov z obstoječimi viri, kar vključuje tudi zagotavljanje pravega ravnovesja med uspešnim izvajanjem programov in omejevanjem upravnih stroškov.

The neighbourhood has already been one of the strongest examples where the EU budget and European Finance Institutions have worked together to leverage the maximum investment to social and economic development. A € 117 million commitment from the EU budget to blending mechanisms has been followed by a € 7 billion investment from European Financial Institutions. This approach could be developed still further

Na splošno bodo morale vse institucije EU spoštovati strogo disciplino, da bodo v prihodnosti omejile upravne odhodke.

3.6. Administrative expenditure

4. Proračun, ki daje rezultate

In the current financial framework 5.7% of the budget is used for administrative expenditure. This covers not only staff costs, IT and buildings for all the Institutions but also the costs of working in 23 languages. Now that the different Institutions have largely completed recruitment from the newer Member States, staff numbers should level off. Indeed, since 2007, the Commission has been operating a policy of zero growth, dealing with new priorities through redeployment of existing staff and asking for no extra staff beyond the consequences of enlargement. The Council, the Parliament and other institutions have requested some additional posts linked to the Lisbon Treaty. The launch of the EEAS will initially require additional posts to support the recruitment of Member State diplomats although over time the whole process should seek to be neutral from a budgetary point of view.

Dobra ciljna usmerjenost porabe je nujna, vendar ni dovolj. Način porabe sredstev mora biti zasnovan tako, da prinaša rezultate. Če želimo, da se javne naložbe iz proračuna EU povrnejo, je treba novo generacijo finančnih programov preoblikovati in postaviti učinkovitost na prvo mesto.

Part of the work to define the next financial framework package must be a rigorous search for increased efficiency and performance in administrative resources. This implies examining how rationalisation and common use of procedures, tools and resources could limit the costs of action by the institutions and the agencies of the EU. For example, the Commission has just launched an important analysis of its use of IT, designed to enhance performance and produce economies. This could lead to common savings by developing common or shared IT systems for all the institutions. Similar inter-institutional cooperation could bring benefits in areas like translation or document management. Another area is the design of spending programmes themselves, where administrative burden for both the Commission and for partners should be an important consideration. At the same time, the Commission will continue to redeploy staff to focus on priorities, reduce overheads and increase those working on front line policy. The Commission will review its administrative expenditure – and that of the agencies – as part of its preparation for the next financial framework to identify ways of meeting new challenges from within existing resources, including finding the right balance between delivering programmes effectively and holding down administrative costs.

4.1. Uporaba proračuna za privabljanje naložb

Overall, a strict discipline will have to be pursued by all EU institutions to ensure that administrative expenditure is contained in the future.

Učinek proračuna EU lahko okrepimo toliko bolj, kolikor bolj lahko proračun uporabljamo za privabljanje sredstev in financiranja za podporo strateškim naložbam z največjo evropsko dodano vrednostjo. Inovativni finančni instrumenti bi lahko zagotovili pomemben nov tok financiranja za strateške naložbe. Merilo za projekte z dolgoročnim tržnim potencialom bi moralo biti, da se sredstva EU porabljajo v partnerstvu z zasebnim in bančnim sektorjem, zlasti prek Evropske investicijske banke (EIB), pa tudi z drugimi partnerji, na primer razvojnimi bankami v državah članicah in Evropsko banko za obnovo in razvoj. To zahteva tesno predhodno usklajevanje strokovnih izkušenj in znanja Komisije in bank: za dodelitev podpore bi morali nosilci projektov predložiti vloge, ki bi omogočale izbiro najboljše, in projekte oblikovati tako, da ustvarjajo dodano vrednost EU.

4. A Budget Delivering Results

Pri evropskem odzivu na gospodarsko krizo je bil bistven prispevek EIB. Zdaj bo imela EIB tudi ključno vlogo pri reformah evropskega gospodarstva na področjih, kot so zelene tehnologije, infrastruktura in zanesljiva preskrba z energijo. To morda kaže na potrebo po optimizaciji uporabe kapitala EIB, vključno z obsežnejšo uporabo mehanizmov za delitev tveganja, ki bi okrepili finančni vzvod sredstev banke in povečali njen doseg. Komisija in EIB sta že uspešno razvili več skupnih finančnih instrumentov. Kombinacija nepovratnih sredstev iz proračuna EU ter posojil EIB in drugih finančnih institucij je omogočila potrojitev finančnega učinka zunanjega financiranja EU, saj je pritegnila naložbe finančnih institucij, ki so za večkrat presegla sredstva EU. Ta način bi moral postati stalna praksa na področjih, ki imajo dolgoročni tržni potencial, v ta namen pa bo treba oblikovati nova pravila za uporabo kombiniranih instrumentov.

Well targeted spending is indispensable, but not enough. Spending also needs to be delivered in a way which is designed to bring results. If the public's investment in the EU budget is to pay off, the next generation of financial programmes needs to be reworked to put effectiveness at the top of the agenda.

Na splošno bi morali programi porabe upoštevati potrebe zasebnega financiranja, na primer glede trajanja projektov in zapletenosti postopkov, natančno opredeliti, kaj želijo doseči, in biti realistični glede tega, kdaj bi se morala EU umakniti iz projektov, ki dosežejo stopnjo, ko so sposobni tržno poslovati. EU bi lahko bolj odprto razmislila o možnosti, da bi za zmanjšanje dolgoročnih stroškov za davkoplačevalce uporabila prihodnje tokove prihodkov, ki bi jih prejela od uporabnikov infrastruktur, npr. iz cestnin. Bolj kot bi take zunanje stroške lahko internalizirali, več prihodkov bi lahko ustvarili in jih uporabili za naložbe, potrebne za doseganje strateških ciljev, kot je pospeševanje dekarbonizacije gospodarstva. Finančne instrumente bi bilo treba usmeriti v odpravljanje ugotovljivih pomanjkljivosti trga ob upoštevanju razmer na nacionalnih finančnih trgih, pravnega in regulativnega okolja ter potreb končnih upravičencev.

4.1. Using the budget to leverage investment

Novi finančni instrumenti za izvrševanje proračuna morajo biti premišljeni, integrirani in prilagodljivi. Lahko so namenjeni veliko različnim potrebam politik, vendar morajo biti usklajeni. Pravila financiranja so v osnovi enaka ne glede na sektor: podjetja in projekti na različnih stopnjah razvoja potrebujejo kapital, posojila ali kombinacijo obeh. V osnovi sta potrebni dve vrsti finančnih instrumentov proračuna EU in bi ju bilo mogoče izvajati z dvema splošnima mehanizmoma, ki bi ju uporabljali za različne programe porabe: platformo EU za lastniški kapital in platformo EU za delitev tveganja (vključno z jamstvi). Pri proučitvi možnosti zagotavljanja jamstev za posojila kot možnega inovativnega finančnega instrumenta je treba natančno analizirati posledice finančnega vzvoda sredstev iz proračuna EU, da ne bi prekoračili zgornje meje za lastna sredstva, zlasti ob upoštevanju obstoječih jamstvenih shem. Pri splošnejši uporabi sredstev iz proračuna EU kot instrumenta za zagotavljanje jamstev za posojila in obveznice bi bilo treba ustrezno upoštevati sposobnost za izdajanje takih jamstev.

The impact of the EU budget can be magnified the more it can be used to leverage both funding and financing to support strategic investments with the highest European added value. Innovative financial instruments could provide an important new financing stream for strategic investments. The norm for projects with long-term commercial potential should be that EU funds are used in partnership with the private and banking sectors, particularly via the European Investment Bank (EIB), but also with other partners including development banks in Member States and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This requires close upstream coordination between the technical expertise of both the Commission and the banks: the logic of such an approach is that projects are supported on the basis of competitive application by the project promoters, with a focus on EU added value.

4.2. Projektne „obveznice“ EU

The EIB has made a major contribution to the European response to the economic crisis. Now it will play a key role in reforming Europe's economy in areas like green technology, infrastructure and energy security. This may point to a need to optimize use of EIB capital, including an increased use of risk sharing mechanisms to permit a higher leverage of the Bank's resources and enhance the Bank's reach. The Commission and the EIB have already successfully developed a number of common financial instruments. Blending between grants from the EU budget and loans from the EIB and other financial institutions has made it possible to treble the financial impact of EU external spending by attracting huge multiples of investment from financial institutions. This should be extended to become the norm in areas of long-term commercial potential, with new rules to govern blended instruments.

Zamisel o projektnih obveznicah EU je plod upoštevanja potenciala inovativnih instrumentov financiranja in aktualnih razmer v evropskem gospodarstvu. Gospodarstvo EU je zelo odvisno od infrastrukture na področjih, kot so energetika, promet in IKT. Uresničevanje ciljev strategije Evropa 2020 za posodobitev evropskega gospodarstva bo zahtevalo ogromna vlaganja[10]. EU lahko take projekte podpira že zdaj, tako da zagotovi dosledno strateško usmeritev za vlagatelje, ki sprejemajo odločitve za desetletja vnaprej, in z vzpostavitvijo primernega regulativnega okvira. Vendar so vlagatelji po finančni krizi previdni. Za projekte ključnega strateškega interesa za EU ni mogoče pritegniti potrebnih sredstev. Takih projektov ni mogoče financirati iz nacionalnih proračunov, zato države iščejo alternativne rešitve, ki bi nosile večjo odgovornost za infrastrukturo. Zaradi odlašanja s projekti lahko EU ostane brez gospodarskih in drugih koristi, ki jih omogoča infrastruktura, poleg tega pa tvega, da bodo rešitve v prihodnosti dražje.

In general, spending programmes need to be both sensitive to the needs of private finance – such as in terms of lead time and burdensome procedures – precise as to what they want to achieve, and hard-headed about when the EU should step out of projects reaching commercial viability. The EU could be more open to looking at revenue streams collected from users of infrastructure such as tolls as a means to limit the long-term costs to taxpayers. Similarly, the more that external costs can be internalised, the more revenues can be generated to contribute to the investments needed to achieve strategic goals like accelerating the decarbonisation of the economy. Financial instruments should be focused on addressing identifiable market failures taking into account the state of national financial markets, the legal and regulatory environment and the needs of final beneficiaries.

Projektne obveznice EU naj bi zapolnile to vrzel in okrepile zaupanje vlagateljev, tako da bi bilo za velike naložbene projekte mogoče pritegniti potrebno financiranje. Evropska investicijska banka in druge večje finančne institucije že prispevajo pomemben delež z neposrednimi posojili. Zlasti EIB se je na krizo odzvala z znatnim povečanjem obsega posojil. Vendar pa so infrastrukturni projekti tako velik izziv, da mora EU spodbuditi sprostitev zasebnega kapitala.

The new financial instruments for budget delivery must be smart, integrated and flexible. They can address many different policy needs, but using consistent instruments. The laws of financing are essentially the same, regardless of the sector involved: companies and projects in different stages of development need equity, or debt, or a combination of both. The “tool-kit” of EU budget financial instruments required is essentially twofold, and could be delivered through two general mechanisms to be used by the different spending programmes, an EU Equity Platform Mechanism and an EU Risk Sharing Platform Mechanism (including guarantees).When looking at the option of loan guarantees as one of the options for innovative financial instruments, the implications of leveraging the EU budget need to be carefully analysed in order to respect the own resources ceiling, notably in the light of existing guarantee schemes. A more general use of the EU budget as an instrument to guarantee loans and bonds would need to take proper account of the capacity to underwrite such guarantees.

To bi lahko dosegli tako, da bi sredstva iz proračuna EU uporabili za podporo projektom v obsegu, ki bi omogočil izboljšanje njihove bonitetne ocene, in tako pritegnili financiranje EIB, drugih finančnih institucij in vlagateljev s trga zasebnega kapitala, kot so pokojninski skladi in zavarovalnice. Jamstva EU in/ali EIB bi se izdajala za posebne instrumente, ki bi jih oblikoval zasebni sektor za privabljanje financiranja za projekt na kapitalskem trgu. Projekti, ki bi dobili tako pomoč, bi morali dokazati strateški interes za EU in izpolnjevati nekaj meril vzdržnosti. Zato taka pomoč ne bi bila vnaprej porazdeljena po državah članicah ali sektorjih, temveč bi se dodeljevala projektom, ki bi bili sposobni pritegniti ustrezno financiranje zasebnega sektorja. Časovni okvir za povračilo bi bil odvisen od ocene potrebnega časa, v katerem bi projekt lahko začel uspešno poslovati.

4.2. EU project bonds

4.3. Veliki projekti

The potential of innovative financing instruments and the particular circumstances of the European economy today come together in the idea of EU project bonds. The EU economy is heavily dependent on infrastructure, in areas like energy, transport and ICT. The Europe 2020 objectives for modernisation of the European economy will require huge investment [10]. The EU can already help such projects by providing a consistent strategic direction for investors taking decisions for many decades to come, and by providing the right regulatory framework. But in the wake of the financial crisis, investors remain reluctant. Projects of key strategic interest for the EU are finding it impossible to secure the investment required. National budgets are not in a position to take over funding of such projects, and indeed are looking for alternative solutions to shoulder a greater responsibility for infrastructure. Delaying projects could deprive the EU of the economic and other benefits from the infrastructure, and risk higher-cost solutions in the future.

Poseben problem so veliki projekti, ki zahtevajo večmilijardne prispevke skozi daljša obdobja. EU si je pridobila precej izkušenj s projekti, kot so Galileo, ITER in GMES. Ti projekti veljajo za strateško zelo pomembne in bi lahko imeli dolgoročen tržni potencial. Za njihovo delovanje je potrebno nadnacionalno sodelovanje, hkrati pa so podvrženi prekoračitvam stroškov in niso najprimernejši za neposredno upravljanje s strani institucij EU. Te proračunske negotovosti niso združljive z načinom načrtovanja proračuna EU. Alternativa bi bila, da bi za nosilce projektov vzpostavili ločeno podporno strukturo, katere učinkovito upravljanje bi bilo v aktivnem interesu EU in ki bi iz proračuna EU redno prejemala sredstva v obliki fiksnega letnega prispevka, vendar ne bi bilo samoumevno, da bi EU krila tudi morebitne dodatne potrebe.

EU project bonds would be designed to plug this gap, to give sufficient confidence to allow major investment projects to attract the support they need. The European Investment Bank and other major financial institutions already make a major contribution by their direct lending, and the EIB in particular has responded to the crisis with a major increase in the scale of lending. But the size of the infrastructure challenge is such that the EU needs to help to unlock private finance.

4.4. Spodbude za uporabo sredstev

This could be achieved by using appropriations from the EU budget to support projects to the extent required to enhance their credit rating, and thereby attract financing by the EIB, other financial institutions, and private capital market investors like pension funds and insurance companies. The EU and/or EIB guarantees would be issued in favour of special vehicles set up by the private sector to attract capital market financing for the project. The projects benefitting from such a facility would need to demonstrate an EU strategic interest, as well as meeting certain criteria for viability. As such the support could not be pre-allocated across Member States or sectors but would flow to those projects that manage to attract appropriate private sector financing. The timescale for repayment would depend on an assessment of the length of time required for the project to reach viability.

Proračun EU je lahko pomemben spodbujevalec reform, kot je bilo ugotovljeno v aktualni razpravi o uporabi finančnih sankcij in spodbud za zagotavljanje spoštovanja Pakta za stabilnost in rast. Zato je vsekakor smiselno, da ta vpliv uporabljamo znotraj programov za zagotavljanje njihove uspešne izvedbe. Zgoraj navedene ideje v zvezi s kohezijsko politiko bi lahko uporabili tudi drugod in jih razširili na vsa področja porabe, tako da bi določili konkretne cilje, ki bi bili pogoj za izplačilo sredstev. Možno bi bilo tudi oblikovati rezervo za celotno EU v večini programov ali prilagoditi stopnje sofinanciranja glede na uspešnost izvajanja. V vseh navedenih primerih pa bi bilo nujno zagotoviti pravično obravnavo vseh držav članic, preglednost in samodejno uporabo teh mehanizmov.

4.3. Large scale projects

To bi zahtevalo drugačen pristop in drugačna orodja. Programi bi morali določiti konkretne, merljive, izvedljive, relevantne in časovno opredeljene cilje ter ustrezne kazalnike uspešnosti. Da bi lahko sistem spodbud deloval pravično, bi bilo treba oblikovati jasna merila za ocenjevanje ter ocenjevanje sistematično in okrepljeno izvajati. Sistematične in pravočasne ocene lahko bistveno pripomorejo k skupnim prizadevanjem za čim močnejše povečanje dodane vrednosti financiranja EU.

A particular issue arises for large scale projects requiring multi billion Euro contributions over long periods. The EU is gaining considerable experience of projects like Galileo, ITER, and GMES. These projects are acknowledged to have major strategic importance, and could have long-term commercial potential. They need transnational collaboration to work. However, they are also subject to significant cost overruns and their governance is not well-suited to the direct management of the EU institutions. The budgetary uncertainties are hardly compatible with the way in which the EU budget is planned. An alternative approach would be for the project promoters to set up a support structure as a separate entity, with the active interest of the EU to ensure effective governance, and to which the EU budget would make a stable contribution in the form of a fixed annual contribution with no assumption that the EU should make up any shortfalls.

4.5. Struktura, ki odraža prioritete

4.4. Incentivising the use of resources

Struktura proračuna je že sama po sebi pomembno orodje za izražanje in uresničevanje namena porabe in ciljev, ki naj bi jih dosegli. Seveda je smiselno, da proračun s svojo strukturo, pa tudi uravnoteženostjo, odraža politične prioritete EU. Sedanja struktura že kaže določene izboljšave v tej smeri, vendar bi bilo treba narediti še korak dlje, in sicer bodisi z zmanjšanjem števila razdelkov na najmanjše možno, bodisi tako, da se struktura proračuna uskladi s strategijo Evropa 2020. Po prvi možnosti bi lahko imeli 3 razdelke: notranje odhodke, zunanje odhodke in upravne odhodke. Po drugi možnosti bi uvedli tri podrazdelke, ki bi nadomestili sedanje razdelke I–III in bi zajemali politike, ki v središče postavljajo pametno, trajnostno in vključujočo rast, ter dodaten četrti „notranji“ podrazdelek za politike na področju državljanstva. Tako strukturo bi dopolnjevala končna dva razdelka, eden za zunanje politike (sedanji razdelek IV) in drugi za upravo.

The EU budget can be a powerful agent for reform – as recognised in the current debate about using financial sanctions and incentives to ensure respect for the Stability and Growth Pact. So there is every reason to use this influence within programmes to ensure effective delivery. The ideas set out above in respect of cohesion policy could be applied in other contexts and spread to all areas of spending, defining a specific set of targets on which disbursement of the funds would depend. Other approaches include setting aside an EU-wide reserve in most programmes, or modulating co-financing rates to performance. In all these cases, it would be essential to assure fair treatment of all Member States, transparency and automaticity.

4.6. Trajanje večletnega finančnega okvira

This requires a different approach and different tools. Programmes should provide for the definition of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed objectives as well as for appropriate performance indicators. Clear evaluation criteria are needed before an incentive system can work fairly, as well as systematic and enhanced evaluation. Applied systematically and in good time, evaluations can play a pivotal role in the overall effort aimed at maximising the added value of EU spending.

Večletni finančni okvir omogoča dolgoročno doslednost in predvidljivost. Zagotavlja tudi proračunsko disciplino in nemoten potek proračunskega cikla. Vendar pa je vsak okvir rezultat političnih odločitev, ki morajo odražati spreminjajoče se politične prioritete.

4.5. A structure to reflect priorities

Zadnji trije finančni okviri so bili sklenjeni za sedemletna obdobja. Evropski parlament[11] in nekateri udeleženci javnega posvetovanja so bili mnenja, da bi bilo treba to obdobje skrajšati na pet let. Eden od glavnih razlogov, ki so jih navedli, je bila uskladitev obdobja okvira s trajanjem mandata Evropskega parlamenta in Komisije. Petletno obdobje bi vsakokratni komisiji omogočilo, da predlaga nov okvir, vsakokratnemu parlamentu pa, da zaključi pogajanja o njem, čeprav se v času njunega mandata ta okvir ne bi uporabljal. Petletni okvir bi imel tudi to prednost, da bi omogočal razmislek o novih potrebah, obenem pa bi bila njegova slabost načrtovanje trajanja programov, saj daljše obdobje izvajanja ne le omogoča korenitejše spremembe, temveč lahko tudi bolj ustreza naložbenim strategijam zasebnega sektorja. Alternativa, ki bi upoštevala navedene pomisleke, bi bilo sedemletno obdobje s temeljito revizijo po petih letih, ki bi omogočila končno prerazporeditev, zlasti v skladu s cilji strategije Evropa 2020. Tako bi preprečili oblikovanje rešitev, ki ne bi omogočale prihodnjih prilagoditev in sprememb.

The structure of the budget is itself an important tool for communicating and delivering on the purpose of the spending and the objectives to be reached. There is an obvious benefit in a budget which in structure, as well as balance, reflects the EU's political priorities. The current structure made some progress in that direction, but a further step would be to either reduce the number of headings to the minimum or organise the budget around the Europe 2020 strategy. The first alternative could consist of 3 headings: Internal expenditure, External expenditure and Administrative expenditure. The second alternative would point to three sub-headings replacing the current Headings I – III and covering policies where the centre of gravity falls under the three strands of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, in addition to a fourth "internal" sub-heading on citizenship policies. This would be complemented by two final headings, one covering external policies (current Heading IV) and another covering administration.

Morda najprivlačnejša rešitev pa bi bilo desetletno obdobje s temeljitim vmesnim pregledom („5+5“). Ta pristop bi omogočal korenite spremembe prednostnih področij. Skupne zgornje meje in temeljni pravni instrumenti bi bili določeni za deset let, pri porazdelitvi sredstev znotraj razdelkov ter določanju prioritet znotraj programov in instrumentov pa bi dopustili ponovno oceno potreb. Eden od možnih pristopov bi bil, da bi to olajšali z ohranjanjem znatnih rezerv in razlik do zgornje meje v vseh delih proračuna.

4.6. The duration of the MFF

4.7. Odzivanje na spreminjajoče se razmere

A multiannual financial framework allows long-term consistency and predictability. It also guarantees budgetary discipline and the smooth functioning of the budgetary cycle. However, each framework is the fruit of political decisions which need to reflect changing political preferences.

Eno od ravnotežij, ki jih je v proračunu najteže doseči, je ravnotežje med predvidljivostjo in prilagodljivosti. Nedvomno pa se je pri sedanjem proračunu izkazalo, da je premalo prožen za odzivanje na nepredvidene dogodke. Potreba po odzivu EU na pereče zunanje dogodke, npr. na cunami in razmere na Bližnjem vzhodu, ki ji je sledila še nujnost reagiranja na gospodarsko krizo, je pokazala na pomanjkljivosti sedanjega pristopa. Ker je ustrezna namenskost sredstev nujna za učinkovito porabo in ker se s spreminjajočimi se razmerami spreminjajo tudi prioritete, togost proračuna seveda zmanjšuje kakovost porabe. Prav je, da Evropski parlament in Svet ustrezno nadzorujeta spremembe v usmeritvah porabe, nujna pa je reforma obsega možnih sprememb in postopkov za nadzor. Izkušnje kažejo, da se je logična rešitev povečanja rezerv zaradi pritiskov po predhodnem določanju namena sredstev izkazala za neizvedljivo. Zato bi lahko določili obvezno raven rezerve, npr. 5 %. Ta raven bi lahko bila tudi nižja za prvih 5 let finančnega obdobja in višja za preostala leta, ali pa bi se iz leta v leto povečevala. Na ta način bi ob vmesnem pregledu lahko bolje upoštevali nove prioritete. Drugi možni načini za povečanje prožnosti vključujejo:

The last three financial frameworks were concluded for a period of seven years. The European Parliament [11] as well as some of the participants to the public consultation have taken the view that this duration should be brought down to five years. A major reason was to align the duration with the term of the European Parliament and Commission's mandate. A five year period would allow each Commission to propose and each Parliament to negotiate a framework, even if they would not see the framework implemented. A five year period would also bring some advantages in terms of an ability to reflect new needs, and some disadvantages in terms of planning lead-times: longer periods not only allow programmes to make deeper changes, they may also fit in better with the investment patterns of the private sector. Another option targeted on the specific dates in question would be a seven year period with a major review after five years, to allow a final reallocation targeted specifically on Europe 2020. This would explicitly avoid prejudging the future.

- možnost prerazporeditev med postavkami v danem letu z določeno omejitvijo,

However, the most attractive solution may be a ten year period, but with a substantial mid-term review ("5+5"). Under this approach, there would be an opportunity for a major re-prioritisation. Overall ceilings and the core legal instruments could be fixed for ten years. But the distribution of resources within headings, and the prioritisation within programmes and instruments, could be left open for re-assessment. One approach would be to facilitate this through the retention of substantial reserves and margins in all parts of the budget.

- možnost prenosa neporabljenih rezerv iz enega leta v drugo, prav tako v okviru dogovorjenih omejitev,

4.7. Responding to changing circumstances

- proste roke pri razporejanju sredstev na začetek ali konec programskega obdobja znotraj posameznega razdelka večletnega okvira, da se omogoči proticiklično delovanje in smiselno odzivanje na hujše krize,

One of the most difficult balances to strike in the budget is the balance between predictability and flexibility. But it is clear that the current budget has proved too inflexible to meet the pressure of events. Pressing needs for the EU to respond to external events from the tsunami and the Middle East, followed by the compelling need to react to the economic crisis, showed the shortcomings of the current approach. With proper targeting so crucial to effective spending, and changing circumstances imposing changing priorities, the rigidity of the budget clearly damages the quality of spending. It is right for the European Parliament and the Council to exercise proper scrutiny of changes in the direction of spending. But the extent of the changes possible, and the procedures by which this scrutiny are exercised, both need reform. Experience suggests that the obvious solution of increased margins has not proved possible in the face of pressures to pre-allocate spending. Therefore a fixed percentage – such as 5%, could be agreed as an obligatory figure. Such a figure could also be set at a lower level for the first 5 years of the financial period and at a higher percentage for the remaining years of the financial period, or be set to increase year on year. This would give the possibility to take new priorities better into account at the occasion of the mid-term review. Other means to increase flexibility include:

- povečanje obsega ali razširitev področja uporabe veljavnega instrumenta prilagodljivosti in veljavne rezerve za nujno pomoč ter po možnosti združitev obeh instrumentov.

– A reallocation flexibility to transfer between headings in a given year, within a specific limit;

Sedanjo prilagodljivost v višini 0,03 %, o kateri se odloča s kvalificirano večino, bi bilo prav tako treba ohraniti, saj gre za pomembno varovalko, ki dopušča omejena odstopanja od predvidenih zgornjih mej.

– A possibility to transfer unused margins from one year to another – again, within agreed limits;

Za uvedbo teh sprememb je treba spremeniti način razmišljanja. Poudarek bi bilo treba preusmeriti s stalnih in vnaprej določenih dodelitev na uporabo omejenih virov EU za strateške naložbe omejenega trajanja in pričakovanje, da bo prejem sredstev odvisen od doseženih rezultatov.

– Freedom to front or backload spending within a heading's multi-annual envelope, to allow for countercyclical action and a meaningful response to major crises;

4.8. Poenostavitev in zmanjšanje nepotrebnega upravnega bremena

– Increasing the size, or widening the scope, of the existing Flexibility Instrument and Emergency Aid Reserve, and possibly merging them.

Javno posvetovanje je prineslo jasno sporočilo, da so postopki za izvajanje in zahteve v okviru nadzora preveč zapleteni in dejansko lahko odvračajo od sodelovanja v programih EU. EU mora zagotoviti, da so sredstva smotrno porabljena, lahko pa tudi sprejme vrsto ukrepov za zmanjšanje upravnega bremena za prejemnike sredstev ter za zmanjšanje upravnih stroškov EU, s tem pa omogoči, da se več sredstev porabi za končni namen:

The current 0.03% flexibility arrangement agreed by qualified majority should also be maintained as an important safety valve allowing limited deviations from the foreseen ceilings.

- EU ima skupna finančna pravila določena v svoji finančni uredbi. Vendar se lahko izvedbena pravila in postopki v različnih instrumentih politik bistveno razlikujejo. Treba je določiti pregleden niz skupnih načel, da se razlike zmanjšajo na najnujnejše. Povezovanje različnih instrumentov v skupen okvir izvajanja je dober način za vzpostavitev stičišča državljanov, podjetij, zlasti MSP, in vlad s proračunom EU.

All these changes should accompany a different mindset. The emphasis should shift from permanent and pre-determined financial allocations to using the scarce EU resources for strategic investments of limited duration, and expecting that the receipt of funds is dependent on delivery.

- Nedavni predlog Komisije za revizijo finančne uredbe vključuje drzne ukrepe za določitev poenostavljenih finančnih pravil. To je treba nadalje proučiti, da se omogočijo enostavnejši postopki za manjše donacije (prag za take majhne projekte se lahko določi višje) ter poveča uporaba pavšalnih plačil in shem, ki temeljijo na doseganju rezultatov.

4.8. Simplifying and minimising unnecessary administrative burdens

4.9. Zagotavljanje dobrega finančnega poslovodenja

The public consultation has conveyed a clear message that implementation procedures and control requirements are too complicated and can be a real disincentive to participation in EU programmes. The EU has a responsibility to ensure that funds are well spent, but it could also take a series of measures to reduce the administrative burden for recipients of funds, and to cut EU administrative costs – allowing more of the resources to be directed at the end purpose:

Za javno porabo je potrebna učinkovita, uspešna in sorazmerna kontrola. Zagotavljati mora ustrezna zagotovila državljanom ter njihovim predstavnikom v Evropskem parlamentu in Svetu, da se proračun EU smotrno porablja. Vendar pa lahko na določeni ravni breme kontrol izniči učinkovitost programa. Bolj prilagojen pristop h kontroli, ki se zahteva v različnih državah članicah, in enotno razumevanje dopustnega tveganja napake na različnih področjih politike bi pripomogla k zagotovitvi pravega ravnovesja.

– The EU has common financial rules in its Financial Regulation. But implementing rules and procedures may vary considerably from one policy instrument to another. A clear set of common principles should be agreed to reduce differences to the absolutely necessary. Linking different instruments together in a common implementation framework is a good way to help the interface of citizens, businesses, especially SMEs, and governments with the EU budget.

Komisija je zadnja leta veliko pozornosti posvetila povečanju učinkovitosti sistemov upravljanja in kontrole, da bi od Evropskega računovodskega sodišča dobila izjavo o zanesljivosti brez pridržkov. Rezultati so pozitivni, a lahko se doseže še veliko, zlasti v sodelovanju z državami članicami, ki skupaj s Komisijo v okviru deljenega upravljanja izvajajo velik del proračuna. Sistem osnovanja plačil na izjavi držav članic o plačilih in ne več na izjavi upravičencev o izdatkih, kakor se zdaj uporablja za izdatke skupne kmetijske politike, bi postopek kontrol prestavil na lokalno raven in omogočil boljšo usklajenost z veljavnimi nacionalnimi postopki. To bi bil preprostejši in običajnejši postopek v primerjavi s centralizirano kontrolo na ravni EU. Lahko bi bil vezan na zanesljive nacionalne izjave o zanesljivosti, ki bi poudarile odgovornost javnih organov v ravnanju s sredstvi EU.

– The recent Commission proposal to revise the Financial Regulation contains bold measures to put in place simplified financial rules. This should be looked at further to allow for lighter procedures for smaller grants (thresholds could be set at a higher level for such small projects), and more use of lump sum payments, as well as performance-based schemes.

Povečanje zneskov sredstev, posredovanih prek finančnih instrumentov, bo pomenilo korenito spremembo načina, kako Komisija upravlja svoje proračunske odhodke. Komisija bo vse bolj prenašala naloge izvajanja proračuna in sodelovala s ključnimi finančnimi institucijami, kot je Evropska investicijska banka (EIB)[12]. Zato je treba uskladiti temeljne vidike oblikovanja in upravljanja finančnih instrumentov, da se zagotovi ustrezno ravnovesje med skupnim pristopom poslovanja Komisije s finančnimi partnerji ob zaščiti finančnih interesov EU ter omogočanjem potrebne prožnosti na ravni izvajanja za zagotovitev, da se politike učinkovito izvedejo. To bi tudi zagotovilo večjo politično prepoznavnost, upravno učinkovitost s poenostavitvijo, racionalizirano poročanje in spremljanje ter končno lažje ocenjevanje po instrumentih.

4.9. Ensuring sound financial management

5. PRORAčUN EU KOT ORODJE V PODPORO GOSPODARSKEMU UPRAVLJANJU

Public spending requires effective, efficient and proportionate control. It must provide the necessary assurances for citizens and their representatives in the European Parliament and the Council that the EU budget is being well spent. But there is a point when the burden of controls negates the effectiveness of the programme. A more modulated approach to the controls required in different Member States, and a common understanding of the tolerable risk of error for different policy areas, would both help to secure the right balance.

Težnja po rasti in ustvarjanju delovnih mest v Evropski uniji zahteva celovit pristop. To je osrednja naloga strategije Evropa 2020. Makroekonomska stabilnost in strukturne reforme ne pomenijo dveh izključujočih se možnosti, pač pa sta dva dela ene same bistvene naloge, ki se med seboj krepita. Zato je samoumevno, da se proračun EU in krepitev gospodarskega upravljanja povežeta.

In recent years, the Commission has devoted much attention to increasing the effectiveness of management and control systems, with an objective of achieving an unqualified Statement of Assurance by the European Court of Auditors. The results are positive but more can be done, in particular by working with the Member States who implement an important part of the budget in shared management with the Commission. The system of basing payments on a declaration of payments by Member States, rather than on expenditure by beneficiaries – as used today for CAP expenditure – would make the process of controls more local and allow more alignment with existing national procedures. This would be a more straightforward and regular procedure than centralising controls at EU level. It could be linked to reliable national statements of assurance to underline the accountability of public authorities handling EU resources.

Komisija je določila niz ukrepov zato, da se gospodarsko upravljanje reformira in postane učinkovitejše[13]. To temo bo nadalje obravnavala v okviru razprave o gospodarskem upravljanju po oktobrskem zasedanju Evropskega sveta.

Increasing the amount of funds channelled through financial instruments will mean profound changes in the way the Commission manages its budget expenditure. The Commission will increasingly delegate budget implementation tasks and cooperate with key financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) [12]. This creates a need to align core aspects of the design and management of financial instruments, to secure the right balance between a common approach in the Commission’s dealings with its financing partners, safeguarding the EU’s financial interests, and leaving the flexibility required at implementation level to ensure that policies are delivered effectively. This would also secure higher political visibility, administrative efficiency through simplification, streamlined reporting and monitoring, and finally easier evaluation across instruments.

6. UPOšTEVANJE šIRITEV

5. The EU Budget as a tool to support economic governance

Prihodnje širitve bodo neizogibno vplivale na proračun EU z morebitnim povečanjem prihodkov in sprejetih obveznosti za porabo. Nove države članice bodo povečale akumulirani BDP in ustvarile nove priložnosti za gospodarski razmah, hkrati pa bodo tudi upravičene do strukturnih in drugih sredstev. Čas pristopa je odvisen od tega, kako hitro lahko države kandidatke izpolnijo potrebna merila. V tem okviru se je Evropski svet iz decembra 2006 zavezal k temu, da ne bo določal ciljnih datumov za pristop, dokler pogajanja niso skoraj zaključena. Zato naj novi finančni okvir ne bi prehiteval političnih odločitev o prihodnjih širitvah, ki bodo temeljile na pripravljenosti države na članstvo. Ko bodo pristopi dogovorjeni in datumi potrjeni, bo treba prilagoditi finančni okvir, da se bodo upoštevale potrebe po odhodkih, ki izhajajo iz rezultatov pristopnih pogajanj.

The drive for growth and jobs in the European Union requires a complete approach. That is at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy. Macroeconomic stability and structural reforms are not alternatives, but dual imperatives which also reinforce each other. It is therefore natural to make a connection between the EU budget and the reinforcement of economic governance.

7. REFORMA FINANCIRANJA EU

The Commission has set out a variety of measures to reform economic governance and make it more effective [13]. It will take these issues forward in the context of the debate on economic governance following the October European Council.

Enako kot na strani odhodkov v proračunu se je tudi struktura na strani financiranja s časom zelo razvila. Prispevek, ki temelji na BND, je pridobil pomen in zdaj predstavlja tri četrtine proračuna. Sčasoma so bili v proračunu tako na strani odhodkov kot na strani prihodkov vneseni številni popravki in posebne ureditve (nekateri mehanizmi se avtomatično zaključijo leta 2013). Pogajanja o proračunu je nedavno zelo obarvalo osredotočanje držav članic na navajanje neto položajev, zaradi česar so prednost dobili tisti instrumenti, ki so imeli na geografski osnovi predhodno dodeljena finančna sredstva, ne pa tisti z največjo dodano vrednostjo za EU.

6. Taking account of Enlargement

Posvetovanje o pregledu proračuna je pokazalo, da imajo zainteresirane strani veliko pripomb na sedanji sistem financiranja proračuna EU. Sedanji sistem velja za nejasnega in preveč zapletenega ter nepoštenega, zlasti kar zadeva popravke, ter se prekomerno zanaša na vire sredstev, za katere obstaja mnenje, da gre za izdatke, ki bi jih morale države članice zmanjšati. Razen carin, ki izhajajo iz carinske unije, obstoječi viri sredstev nimajo jasne povezave s politikami EU.

Future enlargements will inevitably have an impact on the EU budget, in terms of both potential increases in revenue and in spending commitments. While new Member States will increase the cumulated GDP and create new opportunities for economic expansion, they will also become eligible for structural and other funds. The timing of accessions is dependent on the speed with which candidates can meet the necessary criteria. In this context, the December 2006 European Council committed to refrain from setting any target dates for accession until negotiations are close to completion. Consequently, the new financial framework should not pre-empt any political decision on future enlargements which will be based on a country's readiness for membership. Once accessions are agreed and dates confirmed, the financial framework should be adjusted to take account of the expenditure requirements resulting from the outcome of accession negotiations.

Treba je poudariti, da to ni kritika na obseg proračuna, pač pa razprava o ustrezni kombinaciji virov sredstev. Postopno uvajanje novih virov sredstev bi omogočilo zmanjšanje, postopno opustitev ali ukinitev sredstev iz drugih virov.

7. Reform of EU financing

Predloge za reformo strani financiranja so pripravili akademiki, vlade, nevladne organizacije in Evropski parlament. Parlament je leta 2007 sprejel poročilo, ki analizira sedanji sistem virov lastnih sredstev in predlaga celoten niz možnih novih virov lastnih sredstev[14].

Just like the expenditure side of the budget, the structure of the financing side has evolved considerably over time. The GNI-based contribution has taken on a growing importance and now represents three-quarters of the budget. A large number of corrections and special arrangements have been introduced over time, both on the revenue and expenditure side of the budget (some of these mechanisms end automatically in 2013). Budget negotiations have recently been heavily influenced by Member States' focus on the notion of net positions with the consequence of favoring instruments with geographically pre-allocated financial envelopes, rather than those with the greatest EU added value.

Uvedba nove faze v razvoju financiranja EU bi lahko vključevala tri tesno povezane razsežnosti – poenostavitev prispevkov držav članic, uvedbo enega ali več novih virov lastnih sredstev in postopno ukinitev vseh popravnih mehanizmov. Ko bi se uvajale spremembe, bi bilo treba ohraniti bistvene elemente finančnega sistema EU, ki so stabilno in zadostno financiranje proračuna EU, spoštovanje proračunske discipline in mehanizem za zagotavljanje proračunskega ravnotežja.

The consultation on the budget review has shown that stakeholders are very critical about the current system of financing the EU budget. The current system is perceived as opaque and too complex, lacking fairness – notably with regard to corrections – and relying excessively on resources which are perceived as expenditures to be minimized by the Member States. With the exception of customs duties stemming from the customs union, existing resources display no clear link to EU policies.

Poenostavitev prispevkov držav članic

It should be underlined that this is not an argument about the size of the budget – it is a debate about the right mix of resources. The progressive introduction of a new resource would open the door for other resources to be reduced, phased out or dropped.

V primerjavi z lastnimi sredstvi, ki temeljijo na BND, sedanja lastna sredstva, ki temeljijo na DDV, nimajo bistvene dodane vrednosti. Poleg tega se za vzpostavitev primerljive davčne osnove sredstva, ki temeljijo na DDV, določijo na podlagi matematičnega izračuna in jih državljani ne plačujejo neposredno v proračun EU. Kot taka prispevajo h kompleksnosti in nepreglednosti prispevkov. Ukinitev sredstev, ki temeljijo na DDV, v njihovi sedanji obliki bi vzporedno z uvedbo novega vira lastnih sredstev poenostavila sistem prispevkov.

Proposals for a reform of the financing side have been made by academics, governments, non-governmental organisations and the European Parliament. The Parliament adopted a report in 2007 analysing the current system of own resources and suggesting a whole range of possible new own resources [14].

Postopno uvajanje enega ali več virov lastnih sredstev, ki jih usmerjajo politike

The introduction of a new phase in the evolution of EU financing could include three closely linked dimensions – the simplification of Member States' contributions, the introduction of one or several new own resources and the progressive phasing-out of all correction mechanisms. As changes were phased in, essential elements of the EU financing system should be retained: a stable and sufficient financing of the EU budget, respect for budgetary discipline and a mechanism to ensure a balanced budget.

Novi viri lastnih sredstev bi lahko v celoti nadomestili obstoječa lastna sredstva, ki temeljijo na DDV, ter zmanjšali obseg sredstev, ki temeljijo na BND in se črpajo neposredno iz državnih blagajn. Uvedba novih virov lastnih sredstev bi odražala postopen premik proračunske strukture k politikam, ki so bliže državljanom EU, njen cilj pa bi bil zagotavljanje evropskih javnih dobrin in večje dodane vrednosti EU. Lahko bi podpirala doseganje pomembnih ciljev politik EU ali mednarodnih politik, na primer na področjih razvoja, podnebnih sprememb ali finančnih trgov, ter bila z njim tesno povezana.

Simplifying the contributions from Member States

Naslednja merila se zdijo uporabna pri obravnavanju morebitnih novih virov lastnih sredstev:

Compared to the GNI-based own resource, the current VAT-based own resource has little added value. To re-create a comparable tax base, it results from a mathematical calculation rather than passing directly from the citizen to the EU. As such it contributes to the complexity and the opacity of the contributions. Ending the VAT-based resource in its current form would simplify the system of contributions in parallel with the introduction of a new own resource.

- Morali bi biti tesno povezani s pravnim redom in cilji EU , da bi se povečali usklajenost in učinkovitost celotnega proračuna pri izpolnjevanju prednostnih nalog politik EU. V tem pogledu je pomembno upoštevati člen 2(2) Sklepa o lastnih sredstvih[15], ki navaja, da „prihodki iz kakršnih koli novih dajatev, ki se uvedejo v okviru skupne politike, tudi predstavljajo lastna sredstva, ki se vključijo v splošni proračun Evropske unije. “

Progressively introducing one or several policy-driven own resources:

- Morali bi biti čezmejnega značaja in temeljiti na sistemu, ki zajema celoten notranji trg.

New own resources could fully replace the existing VAT-based own resource as well as reducing the scale of the GNI-based resource, taken directly from national treasuries. The introduction of new own resources would mirror the progressive shift of the budget structure towards policies closer to EU citizens and aiming at delivering European public goods and a higher EU added value. It could support – and be closely linked to – the achievement of important EU or international policy objectives, for instance in relation to development, climate change or the financial markets.

- Morali bi imeti usklajeno osnovo, da se zagotovi pravičnost po vsej Uniji.

The following criteria seem pertinent when looking at possible new own resources:

- Če bi bilo izvedljivo, bi morala EU prihodke iz novih virov sredstev zbrati neposredno in ne prek nacionalnih proračunov.

– They should be more closely linked to the acquis and the objectives of the EU to increase the coherence and effectiveness of the entire budget in the achievement of EU policy priorities. In this respect it is important to keep in mind Article 2.2 of the Own Resources Decision [15] which states that "revenue deriving from any new charges introduced within the framework of a common policy shall also constitute own resources entered in the general budget of the European Union."

- Morali bi se uporabljati pravično in pošteno ter ne zaostrovati vprašanja popravkov.

– They should be cross-border in nature, based on a system covering the whole internal market.

- Upoštevati bi bilo treba kumulativni učinek na posamezne sektorje.

– They should have a harmonised base to ensure an equal application of the resource throughout the Union.

- Morali bi se izogibati veliki novi upravni odgovornosti EU v zvezi s pobiranjem.

– If feasible, the proceeds of a new resource should be collected directly by the EU outside national budgets.

Komisija meni, da bi se iz naslednjega neizključnega seznama finančnih sredstev lahko izbrali možni viri sredstev, ki bi postopoma nadomestili nacionalne prispevke ter tako manj bremenili državne blagajne:

– They should be applied in an equitable and fair way, and not exacerbate the question of corrections.

- obdavčitev EU za finančni sektor

– The cumulative impact on particular sectors should be taken into account.

- prihodki EU od dražb v okviru sistema za trgovanje z emisijami toplogrednih plinov

– They should seek to avoid a heavy new administrative responsibility for the EU in terms of collection.

- dajatev EU, vezana na zračni promet

The Commission considers that the following non-exclusive list of financing means could be possible candidates for own resources to gradually displace national contributions, leaving a lesser burden on national treasuries:

- DDV EU

– EU taxation of the financial sector

- energetski davek EU

– EU revenues from auctioning under the greenhouse gas Emissions Trading System

- davek EU od dobička pravnih oseb.

– EU charge related to air transport

Vsa ta finančna sredstva imajo svoje posebne značilnosti ter prednosti in slabosti[16]. Komisija bo ob upoštevanju prejetih pripomb predložila ustrezne predloge kot del svojih splošnih predlogov za naslednji večletni finančni okvir.

– EU VAT

Spoprijemanje s korekcijskimi mehanizmi

– EU energy tax

Evropski svet v Fontainebleauju leta 1984 je določil osrednja načela sistema, namreč, da je „ politika odhodkov navsezadnje bistveno sredstvo za reševanje vprašanja proračunskih neravnovesij “ ter da „ lahko vsaka država članica, katere proračunsko breme je glede na njeno sorazmerno blaginjo čezmerno, ob primernem času koristi popravek .“ Povečana poraba za rast in delovna mesta, energetiko, podnebne spremembe in zunanjo usmeritev interesov EU bi zmanjšala potrebo po ohranitvi korekcijskih mehanizmov. Sestava odhodkov v naslednjem večletnem finančnem okviru in druge reforme sistema virov lastnih sredstev bodo določali, ali so korekcijski mehanizmi v prihodnosti upravičeni.

– EU corporate income tax.

8. SKLEPNE UGOTOVITVE IN NASLEDNJI KORAKI

Each of these financing means has its particular characteristics and presents advantages and disadvantages [16]. In the light of the comments received, the Commission will submit proposals as part of its overall proposals on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Ta pregled proračuna vsebuje zamisli Komisije o sestavi in namenu proračuna EU. Predstavlja vizijo spremenjenega proračuna, zavezanega dejanskim izboljšavam: to bo cilj Komisije za predloge, ki jih bo oblikovala za nov finančni okvir prihodnje leto. Te zamisli temeljijo na prepričanju, da mora EU do leta 2020 sprejeti odločilne ukrepe, ki bodo EU pomagali na poti v pametno, trajnostno in vključujočo družbo. Da bi to dosegli, moramo spraviti evropsko gospodarstvo na pravo pot, sprejeti pomembne odločitve za preoblikovanje svoje infrastrukture, zagotoviti sposobnosti, ki jih potrebujemo za prihodnost, uveljaviti našo vodilno vlogo v svetu in preprečiti, da bi vse večja neravnovesja v naših družbah zmanjšala našo dolgoročno stabilnost. Proračun Unije mora veljati za eno od skupnih orodij, ki jih imamo za doseganje skupnih ciljev. V času močnih pritiskov na javne finance proračun EU in nacionalni proračuni ne smejo veljati za tekmece, ampak za partnerje pri doseganju istih ciljev na ravni, na kateri se lahko največ doseže.

Tackling the correction mechanisms

Zato morajo biti proračuni v prihodnosti usmerjeni v dejanske dosežke pri uresničevanju naših ciljev. Priznati morajo potrebo po prilagajanju na hitro spreminjajoče se razmere. Biti morajo dosledno usmerjeni v doseganje rezultatov. Odražati morajo potrebo po solidarnosti v izpolnjevanju naše skupne agende. Prav tako pa se morajo financirati na način, ki ga naši državljani razumejo ter ocenjujejo kot razumnega in pravičnega.

The 1984 Fontainebleau European Council set out the core principles behind the system: that "expenditure policy is ultimately the essential means of resolving the question of budgetary imbalances", and that "any member State sustaining a budgetary burden which is excessive in relation to its relative prosperity may benefit from a correction at the appropriate time." Reinforced spending for growth and jobs, energy, climate change and the external projection of Europe's interest would reduce the need to maintain correction mechanisms. The composition of expenditure of the next Multiannual Financial Framework and other reforms of the own resources system will determine whether correction mechanisms are justified in the future.

Način izvrševanja proračuna se lahko poenostavi in naredi učinkovitejši. Potrebna je večja prožnost, da se proračun lahko odzove na spreminjajoče se okoliščine, hkrati pa podpira dolgoročne naložbe. V času fiskalnih omejitev se inovativnejši finančni instrumenti lahko uporabijo zato, da proračun doseže več, ter za povečanje učinka in obsega izredno pomembnih projektov EU, ki se lahko izvedejo.

8. Conclusions and Next Steps

Cilji posodobitve proračuna EU morajo zato biti boljša usmerjenost, doseganje največjih koristi od vsakega porabljenega eura ter trdna umestitev proračuna v okvir drugih načinov, na katere lahko Evropska unija, njene institucije in njene države članice Evropo spravijo na pot rasti in ustvarjanja novih delovnih mest za prihodnost.

This Budget Review sets out the Commission's ideas on the architecture and purpose of the EU budget. It sets out a vision of a reformed budget committed to making a real difference: this will be the Commission's ambition for the proposals it will make for the new financial framework next year. These ideas are based on the conviction that by 2020 the EU must have taken decisive steps help the EU become a smart, sustainable and inclusive society. To do this, we need to put the European economy on the right track, to take the big decisions to reshape our infrastructure, to give us the skills we need for the future, to assert our global leadership, and to prevent increasing divergences in our societies from undermining its long-term stability. The budget of the Union must be seen as one of the common tools we have at the service of common objectives. At a time of intense pressure on public finances, EU and national budgets cannot be seen as in competition, but as pursuing the same objectives at the levels which can deliver to best effect.

V prihodnjih mesecih bo Komisija zamisli in možnosti iz tega proračunskega pregleda prelevila v konkretne predloge. Veseli se dialoga z drugimi institucijami in zainteresiranimi stranmi o zamislih in možnostih iz tega pregleda. Rezultati teh razprav bodo vključeni v predloge, ki bodo junija 2011 predstavljeni za nov večletni finančni okvir za obdobje po letu 2013. Ti bodo vključevali predlog za uredbo o večletnem finančnem okviru in osnutek sklepa o lastnih sredstvih. V drugi polovici leta 2011 bo Komisija predložila potrebne zakonodajne predloge za izvajanje politik in programov, nujnih za nadaljnje uresničevanje ambicij Evropske unije v prihodnjih letih.

Tomorrow's budgets must therefore be focused on making a real impact on realising our goals. They must recognise the need to adapt to a rapidly-changing world. They must be disciplined in their concentration on results. They must reflect the need for solidarity in pursuing our common agenda. And they must be resourced in ways which our citizens can understand and recognise as rational and fair.

[1] UL C 139, 14.6.2006, str. 15 (izjava št. 3).

The way in which the EU budget is delivered can be simplified and made more effective. There is a need for greater flexibility so that the budget can respond to changing circumstances, while at the same time supporting long term investments. At a time of fiscal constraint more innovative financial instruments can be used to make the budget go further, and to increase the impact and range of high priority EU projects that can be realised.

[2] Poročilo o posvetovanju je na voljo na spletni strani:http://ec.europa.eu/budget/reform/library/issue_paper/summary_consulation_doc_final_sl.pdf.

The modernisation of the EU budget must therefore be about targeting, about maximising the benefits from every euro spent, and about setting the budget firmly in the context of the other ways in which the European Union, its institutions and its Member States, can put Europe on the path to growth and jobs for the future.

[3] Podatek vključuje proračun EU in sofinanciranje s strani držav članic.

In the coming months the Commission will translate the ideas and options set out in this Budget Review into concrete proposals. The Commission looks forward to a dialogue with the other Institutions and with stakeholders on the ideas and options outlined in this Review. These discussions will feed into proposals in June 2011 for a new Multiannual Financial Framework covering the period after 2013. This will include a proposal for a regulation laying down the Multiannual Financial Framework and a draft decision on own resources. In the second half of 2011, the Commission will make the legislative proposals required to implement the policies and programmes needed to drive forward the European Union's ambitions for the years ahead.

[4] Ocena služb Komisije, ki temelji na naslednjih analizah: „Quantifying the potential macroeconomic effects of the Europe 2020 strategy: stylised scenarios“ (Kvantitativna ocena potencialnih makroekonomskih učinkov strategije Evropa 2020: poenostavnjeni scenariji; European Commission Economic Papers n°424. September 2010) in „Macroeconomic effects of Europe 2020: stylised scenarios“ (Makroekonomski učinki strategije Evropa 2020: poenostavljeni scenariji; ECFIN Economic Briefs 2010 n°11).

[1] OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 15 (Declaration No 3).

[5] Po oceni naj bi sedanji okvirni program zagotovil 900 000 delovnih mest in prispeval 1 % k BDP EU.

[2] Consultation website:

[6] Unija inovacij – COM(2010) 546 z dne 6. oktobra 2010. Drugi ključni vodilni pobudi za leto 2020 s tega področja sta program za digitalne tehnologije in industrijska politika.

- http://ec.europa.eu/budget/reform/library/issue_paper/summary_consulation_doc_final_en.pdf

[7] Poročilo Komisije za konferenco na visoki ravni o konkurenčnosti gospodarskih dejavnosti (april 2010).

[3] This includes both EU budget and national co-financing.

[8] „Evropsko soglasje“, UL C 46, 24.2.2006, str. 1.

[4] Commission services' estimate based on the following analyses: "Quantifying the potential macroeconomic effects of the Europe 2020 strategy: stylised scenarios" (European Commission Economic Papers n°424. September 2010) and "Macroeconomic effects of Europe 2020: stylised scenarios" (ECFIN Economic Briefs 2010 n°11).

[9] „Aid Effectiveness Agenda: Benefits of a European Approach“ (Agenda učinkovitosti pomoči: prednosti evropskega pristopa; oceno je za Evropsko komisijo oktobra 2009 pripravila družba za svetovanje HTSPE).

[5] The current Framework Programme has been estimated to bring 900,000 jobs and to add 1% to the EU's GDP.

[10] Do leta 2020 bo na primer po oceni potrebnih 500 milijard EUR za izvedbo programa TEN-T ter med 38–58 in 181–268 milijard EUR za izpolnitev ciljev Komisije glede širokopasovnega dostopa do interneta. V sektorju energetike znašajo od danes do leta 2020 ocenjene potrebe 400 milijard EUR za distribucijska in inteligentna energetska omrežja, nadaljnjih 200 milijard EUR za prenosna omrežja in shranjevanje ter 500 milijard EUR za nadgradnjo obstoječih in gradnjo novih proizvodnih zmogljivosti, zlasti za obnovljive vire energije.

[6] Innovation Union - COM(2010) 565, 6.10.2010. Other key 2020 flagships in this area include the Digital Agenda and industrial policy.

[11] Resolucija z dne 25. marca 2009 o vmesnem pregledu finančnega okvira 2007–2013 [INI/2008/2055 – P6_TA(2009)0174].

[7] Commission report for the high level conference on industrial competitiveness (April 2010):

[12] Finančnih instrumentov ne bo izvajala izključno EIB, vendar pa bo imela ključno pospeševalno vlogo pri pridobivanju drugih javnih in zasebnih virov financiranja.

[8] 'The European Consensus" (OJ C 46, 24.2.2006, p. 1).

[13] Usklajevanje gospodarskih politik za stabilnost, rast in delovna mesta – Kako izboljšati gospodarsko upravljanje EU – COM(2010) 367.

[9] "Aid Effectiveness Agenda: Benefits of a European Approach" (HTSPE on behalf of the European Commission, October 2009).

[14] Evropski parlament, Poročilo o prihodnosti lastnih sredstev Evropske unije, (2006/2205(INI), poročevalec: A. Lamassoure).

[10] As examples: until 2020, €500bn is estimated to be needed for the implementation of the TEN-T programme and between €38-58bn and €181-268bn to achieve the Commission's broadband targets. In the energy sector, €400bn is estimated as the need for distribution networks and smart grids, another €200bn on transmission networks and storage, and €500bn to upgrade existing and build new generation capacity, particularly in renewable energy, between now and 2020.

[15] Sklep Sveta 2007/436/ES, Euratom (7. junij 2007).

[11] Resolution of 25 March 2009 on the mid-term review of the 2007-2013 financial framework [INI/2008/2055 – P6_TA(2009)0174].

[16] Glej Delovni dokument služb Komisije.

[12] Financial instruments will not be implemented exclusively through the EIB, but the EIB will play a key catalytic role in attracting other public and private sources of finance.

[13] Enhancing economic policy coordination for stability, growth and jobs – Tools for stronger EU economic governance - COM(2010) 367.

[14] European Parliament, Report on the future of the European Union's own resources (2006/2205(INI) Rapporteur A. Lamassoure).

[15] Council decision 2007/436/EC, Euratom (7 June 2007).

[16] See Staff Working Document.

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