European funds, rain of billions. But spending on the Island is too slow

European funds are not lacking, it is Sardinia that is not competitive. It is also at the bottom of the list in the spending of funding for territorial cohesion, which arrived at its destination more or less punctually before getting bogged down in local discussions that are light years away from the most modern development strategies in vogue in other European regions.

If we start from the most recent data, for the six years between 2021 and 2027, funds for 318 million euros have been allocated by Brussels, but the projects concluded or already paid off, in percentage, barely reach 1 percent . Poor spending capacity, it was said, but also disorientation on the part of the offices, subjected to a spoils system at every change of side of the regional government.

Also at one percent are the projects that never came to fruition, despite being covered by funding, in the four spending windows that, in the last 24 years, have brought almost 30 billion to Sardinia. But this cannot be an excuse in the face of the general picture.

Cohesion policy aims to increase opportunities for economic and social development to help reduce gaps and disparities between European territories and regions, acting in particular in less developed areas and for the most fragile communities and people.

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