Corina Cretu gets positive opinion after EP hearing

European Commissioner-designate Corina Cretu, nominated for the Regional Policy portfolio, on Wednesday got the positive opinion of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) of the European Parliament, following her hearing on Wednesday morning before the members of this committee, S&D MEP Victor Bostinaru wrote on his website.

2014-10-02 11:33:01

Corina Cretu delivered a short speech in Brussels, on Wednesday, about her priorities in the REGI Committee, before her actual hearing. The Romanian MEP has answered for more than three hours to the MEPs′ questions focused on EU funds absorption and good management.

"My absolute priority is to make sure we shall maximise the contribution of the regional policy to job creation and economic growth," Corina Cretu said in her speech, while insisting on the fact that high quality operational programmes must be negotiated.

At the same time, the European Commissioner-designate for Regional Policy said that this policy will be very important to the priorities of the European Commission in the area of innovation, SMEs, the digital single market, the environment and social inclusion objectives.

"We must transfer the good intentions of the agreements we have in operational programmes that can make a difference," Corina Cretu said, appreciating, at the same time, that the high quality programmes and programming must not have to suffer. Expressing her conviction that "together we are much more powerful than isolated from one another," Corina Cretu promised "zero tolerance for fraud."

Corina Cretu also referred to the importance of the portfolio for which she was nominated. "The ability to mobilize regional and local actors is one of the strengths of the regional policy. I am sure that by investing in European regions, the real economy and population, we are reinforcing the European economy," she said before answering the over 40 questions from the members of the REGI Committee.