Aberdeen, 04/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The 38th General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions closed with the adoption of the final declaration, in which participating regions called for: - post-2013 preparations setting out ambitious European objectives for all regions and communities; - the introduction of the EUROPE 2020 strategy into the different regions through the promotion of an EU 2020 territorial approach, implementation of genuine territorial cohesion and by ensuring coherency between the EU 2020 strategy and cohesion policy; - the development of a cohesion policy capable of meeting its objectives by enhancing the regional dimension and by promoting governance based on integration and mutual formalisation by contract, as well as establishing a budget that is able to meet these challenges; - the setting up of an ambitious maritime policy (fisheries, maritime safety) on behalf of regional growth; - the development of an integrated approach and inclusive governance of European policies capable of having a significant regional impact (research, innovation and development; energy and climate; transport; agriculture and rural development). The regions are ultimately calling on Europe to assume its place on the international stage in an effort to achieve growth. The final declaration is available at: http://www.crpm.org
During the Friday session on synergies between the regions and the R&D framework programme on competitiveness and innovation, Lambert Van Nistelrooij (EPP, the Netherlands), European Parliament rapporteur on “Synergies between structural funds and the research and development framework programme” pointed out that the European objective of setting aside 3% of European GDP for research and development, had not yet been attained. He affirmed that “Europe is far behind countries such as the US (2.6%) and Japan (3.4%). Other countries like China and India are rapidly catching up”. Lambert Van Nistelrooij explained that in periods of serious economic and financial crisis, it is increasingly clear that policies boosting competitiveness and innovation are necessary for speeding up restructuring and investment in order to create new business opportunities.
Following the speeches of the new CPMR president, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Commissioner Maria Damanaki, (EUROPE 10227), Corine Lepage MEP, (ALDE, France), a member of the EP's environment committee and president of the Seas and Coastal Zones Inter-Group, said that she was delighted with the €50 million envelope announced by Damanaki. She also affirms that an integrated maritime policy should not forget its environmental pillar. The MEP pointed out that “we use the sea for a large spectrum of activities: transport, fishing, tourism, agriculture, defence … but there is too often conflict between the different sectoral policies, to the detriment of the maritime area and biodiversity”. Lepage also referred to a strategy for the Atlantic Arc and welcomed the idea of a maritime Erasmus project, which she proposed with an amendment submitted to the European Parliament's transport committee. (G.B./transl.fl)