A European Commissioner has been appointed to investigate how Northern Ireland can maximise its share of EU funding.
Local MEP Jim Allister welcomed the nomination of Commissioner Danuta Hubner to run the taskforce.
She will visit Belfast on June 8th, and the former DUP representative said aid should be spent on projects like roads and not wasted on community projects.
"I have accepted an invitation to meet her on that occasion and look forward to urging that any EU aid should be spent on hard infrastructural needs and not wasted on frothy peace-type projects."
The EU has given money in the past to schemes bringing nationalists and unionists together and encouraging cross-border initiatives.
Mr Allister added the terms of reference for the focus group had not yet been set and said he was awaiting further clarity from European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.