Upon the initiative of the members of the Saeima, an appeal to demonstrate solidarity in drafting the EU's new multiannual financial framework was included in the Contribution and Conclusions of the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC).

The Contribution and Conclusions stresses the significance of the Cohesion Policy, as well as the need to shape a fairer EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). MPs call for reducing economic and social disparities among the member states by paying particular attention to growth and development in the less developed regions of the EU. This appeal was incorporated into the COSAC’s Contribution and Conclusions upon the proposal by Imants Lieģis, Chairman of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima, and his colleague Atis Lejiņš, as well as Lithuanian MPs.

Proposals by European affairs committees of the EU member states have been adopted in the COSAC plenary meeting that is taking place in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, from 2 to 4 October.

“The limit on Cohesion Policy allocations in the amount of 2.5% of GNI is not acceptable to Latvia. Such a restriction would most adversely affect the economically less developed member states; it would also be contrary to the solidarity principle and the Lisbon Treaty,” said Imants Lieģis at the COSAC meeting.

Atis Lejiņš indicated that the reduction of cohesion funding will punish Latvia for successfully overcoming its economic crisis. “In the period from 2008 to 2009, Latvia experienced a GDP drop of 24%. This year we will experience 5% GDP growth due to implementation of severe austerity measures and successful utilisation of cohesion funds.”

Regarding the CAP, Imants Lieģis stressed that the Commission’s proposals for the EU’s multiannual financial framework promote neither a fair policy nor competition. “According to these proposals, Latvian farmers will continue to receive the lowest direct payments. We believe that the great difference between the highest and lowest level of direct payments in member states should be reduced. It is essential to ensure that the new system of direct payments come into effect in 2014 – the beginning of the next multiannual financial framework. The transition period is totally unacceptable,” pointed out the Chairman.

During the COSAC meeting in Warsaw, Latvian MPs met with their Hungarian colleagues and discussed the need to work together on a joint position regarding the Cohesion Policy from the perspective of the EU’s new multiannual financial framework. Cohesion Policy issues were also addressed during the meeting with Janusz Lewandowski, the EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget.

Saeima Press Service