​​​​​​​On 2 April, the European Commission (EC) adopted a legislative package proposing a number of changes to its cohesion policy rules and allowing for the possibility to use €37 billion of unused money from the EU structural funds for various measures aimed at tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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The Mayor of Jaraczewo, Poland and EA Group's coordinator for the European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Natural Resources (NAT), Mr Dariusz Strugała welcomed the measures pointing out that the EC proposals not only increase flexibility in the use of cohesion and agriculture funds, but also accelerate their implementation and contribution to the for economic recovery.

Noting that cohesion and rural development funds are a unique working method connecting EU, national, regional and local actors, Mr Strugała added that this set of measures is a response to the recent appeals of many local and regional authorities asking for better support for their efforts to solve the social, economic and health effects of the crisis.

As a representative of the Board of the Association of Rural Municipalities of Poland which has been calling for such measures for a long time, Mr Strugała also added that he was particularly happy with the Commission's proposals to extend the time for farmers to submit applications for support and increase advance payments for direct payments, as well as those under rural development programs.