The expectation of the European Union that the lawnew programming period 2021/27 (ESPA 2021/27) will be "positive catalyst", will change all the data (game changer), to accelerate the development of Greece, both in general and within the country, expressed in the context of the 20th Week of Regions and Cities held in Brussels, the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Eliza Ferreira. "We have high expectations for the use of these funds by Greece" Eliza Ferreira added.

Η Ευρωπαία επίτροπος επισήμανε πως η Ελλάδα ήταν η πρώτη χώρα που υπέγραψε το «Εταιρικό Σύμφωνο Περιφερειακής Ανάπτυξης 2021/27» (ΕΣΠΑ 2021/27). Έχει ήδη εγκρίνει όλα τα επιχειρησιακά προγράμματα, αλλά και το πρόγραμμα του Ταμείου Δίκαιης Μετάβασης.

At the same time, he underlined that the use of funds from the 2014/20 programming period is very high in Greece.

She also spoke about her visit to Western Macedonia. In this transition area, as he said, and the contacts he had with agencies on the field. "I understood that they had different goals and rightly so, because the regions are different," he said.

It is noted that the new NSRF has total budget 26.1 billion euros. The 20,9 billion euros is the EU participation and the 5.3 billion euros the national contribution.

Cohesion policy

At a press conference for the 20th Week of Regions and Cities, Commissioner Ferreira highlighted the importance of EU cohesion policy. "Cohesion policy is the glue that holds Europe together. It is the largest investment tool in Europe, which reaches the 0.5 trillion euros» he said characteristically. In particular, he said that the cohesion policy acted as a firefighter in the emergency of the pandemic. At the same time, he emphasized that it is the first to respond to the social and economic consequences of Russia's attack on Ukraine. In addition, he assured that it will play a central role in tackling the energy crisis, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and vulnerable households. It will also enable member states to reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels and develop renewable energy sources.

As her message crystallized, cohesion policy lays the foundations for Europe's long-term prosperity. He reiterated that the will of the European Commission is to focus this policy on the long-term convergence of the European Union.

In the shadow of Russia's war and its effects, following the health crisis of the pandemic, the commissioner recognized the need for flexibility in the cohesion policy in order not to jeopardize the cohesion of Europe.

The NSRF energy 2021/27

Focusing on the issue of energy, the European commissioner pointed out that cohesion policy alone cannot tackle it and added that the Commission is working together with the European Parliament and the European Council to find ways of dealing with the effects of high prices, particularly on small and medium-sized enterprises. He clarified that this issue is being addressed within the framework of support for the 2014/20 programming period and not the 2021/27 programming period, "because we want to protect the main core of cohesion policy".

Finally, referring to the overall implementation rate of the 2014/20 programming period by the EU Member States, she said that it amounts to 72% . Finally, she expressed the expectation that the implementation of the programmes of this period will accelerate in the last year, 2023.