The Border, Midland and Western (BMW ) Regional Assembly director, Mr Gerry Finn has welcomed the outcome of the 2014-2020 European Union budget negotiations in Brussels which provided for a special case additional allocation of €100m to the BMW region.
Mr Finn stated: “We have been aware that the EU budgetary parameters, which uses older GDP economic datasets from 2007-2009 to determine the funding categorisation of EU regions, was likely to lead to a reduction in the BMW region’s allocation from Brussels. In order to seek any additional funding, an economic and political case had to be developed to convince the EU to treat the BMW region as a ‘special case’ region.”
The director added: “In advance of both the November and February EU budget negotiations we have been engaged in a sustained campaign to highlight the need to bring the BMW region’s special case to the negotiating table. We have engaged with the Taoiseach, relevant ministers, MEPs, BMW regional assembly members and Government officials to build our case. We are therefore delighted with the final outcome of yesterday’s financial package.”
Work has already commenced on the preparation of a new operational programme 2014-2020 for the BMW region, which will be submitted to the European Commission for approval later this year.
