In today's context of financial crisis and economic downturn, the European Commission would like to see the pace of European Structural Fund spending pick up in areas with the greatest growth potential. On 16 December, it adopted a communication entitled 'Cohesion Policy: Investing in the real economy', which reminds member states of the different options available. The idea is to keep the crisis from slowing down the implementation of public investment programmes1, which are necessary to boost domestic demand during the short term. "For all programmes, maintaining the agreed priorities on growth and jobs can contribute to realising a quicker recovery when the current economic shock begins to recede", notes the Commission.
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