In a CoR Bureau debate with László Baranyay, Vice-president of the European Investment Bank the President of the European Alliance group Mr Stanisław Szwabski said he would not accept that the loans for strategic Investment via the EIB would be used to replace Cohesion and Structural Funds.   If this happened then the towns, rural areas and regions most in need would miss out on badly needed investment.

The European Commission  and the EIB must insure that the funding streams are complementary and not replacing each other to ensure the development of poorer regions across Europe.