EU funds draft spending plans reveal flaws in environmental mainstreaming in central and eastern Europe

While the EU regulations for the Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 themselves contain many important provisions on integrating environmental protection and fostering sustainable development, the draft Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes presented by national governments do not fully exploit the potential to build a green, sustainable economy with the help of the EU budget.

CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth campaigners across the central and eastern Europe region have reviewed the draft documents, detecting a number of problematic issues – both regarding the funding priorities and the process of EU funds programming itself.

It is now up to the European Commission to use its negotiating power to ensure that the draft spending programs will be improved in the key areas described below. Some examples at the end of this briefing show the ways in which Member States are including some sustainable development considerations into their spending plans.