02/06/2015
Hundreds of road, rail, port, sewerage, health and business projects have now been left without funding following the suspension of payments by Greece. The resulting delays are jeopardising funding of around EUR 1 billion from the old NSRF and compromising projects to be funded under the new one. This has also led to the suspension of EU funding and it is no coincidence that the level of EU funding requested by Greece for 2015 has been no more than EUR 150 million.
The programme finished in 2014, the project implementation deadline being the end of 2015. The risk of forfeiting funding under the current NSRF is therefore obvious. The Commission will allow expenditure up to 2016 only for projects completed this year, a total balance of EUR 3 billion being still outstanding from the period 2007-2014 to be used by Greece.
In view of this:
— Can the Commission say how the parlous state of Greek finances is affecting the take-up of NSRF funding?
— Will it introduce special facilities for countries that have fallen behind on project funding under the previous NSRF and, if so, what facilities?
Answer given by Ms Creţu on behalf of the Commission
The Greek authorities and the Commission are working jointly for mitigating measures regarding the constraints of the Greek national budget. Various technical meetings between both sides have been recently taken place in view of ensuring the best use of the European Structural and Investment Funds, the successful completion of the 2007-2013 period and the effective and smooth start of the 2014-2020 period. The Commission always stands ready to assist the Greek authorities' efforts for an effective and efficient implementation of both periods.
