Editorial note

Regulation 1164/94 establishes a Cohesion Fund in addition to the other Community development instruments, to provide assistance in the fields of the environment and transport infrastructure of common interest with a view to promoting economic and social cohesion and solidarity between Member States. The Fund may contribute to projects, stages of a project or groups of projects (Article 1). The Fund is to provide financial contributions to projects in the fields of the environment and trans-European transport infrastructure networks (Article 3) in the Member States that meet the criteria specified under Article 2 (Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the ten newest Member States). Article 4 specifies the financial resources available to the Fund. The rate of Community assistance granted by the Fund is to be 80 to 85 per cent of public or equivalent expenditure (Article 7). Projects financed by the Fund are to be adopted by the Commission in agreement with the Member State (Article 10(1)). Applications are to be submitted by the beneficiary Member State and are to contain detailed information, including information enabling impact on the environment to be assessed (Article 10(3) and (4)). Without prejudice to the Commission's responsibilities, Member States are to take responsibility in the first instance for the financial controls of projects (Article 12(1)). The Commission is to ensure that funds are efficiently and correctly used (Article 12(2)). The Member States and the Commission are to ensure that implementation of projects is effectively monitored and evaluated (Article 13).