FinMin Stefan: European funds, total failure in 2016; we have guarantee 21 billion lei to enter in 2017

The European funds were a total failure in 2016, but we have the guarantee that 2017 will mean the entrance of 21 billion lei from EU funds, both on staged projects from the previous financial exercise and from the current exercise collections, Public Finance Minister Viorel Stefan told Antena 3 private television broadcaster on Saturday.

"The European funds have been a total failure in 2016. Last night, around 23:00, I had a discussion at the Development and European Funds Ministry, and everyone was very pleased with the conclusion they had reached. They have the guarantee that 2017 will mean 21 billion lei in funds coming from the EU on European programmes, aimed at both the staged projects in the previous financial exercise and collections in the current exercise on European funds. There are two very important source which we count on in the construction of this budget, and we shall be very rigourous in watching their execution," Stefan pointed out.

On the other hand, the FinMin said that in terms of increasing the collection rate, which is another important source that must be capitalised on, measures have already been taken on the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) level, one of them being the elimination of the controversial form 088 referring to the registration for VAT purposes.