Brussels, 19/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - EU ministers and/or their representatives responsible for cohesion policy will be gathering at an informal meeting on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 November in Liège, under the chairmanship of Rudy Demotte, Minister-President of Wallonia (Belgium). Debate will cover the specific contribution made by cohesion policy to the EU2020 strategy - stability and greater effectiveness, and conditionality in relation to cohesion policy objectives. Participants will include Commissioner Johannes Hahn (Regional Policy), Commissioner Lazslo Andor (Employment, Social Affairs, Inclusion), Chair of the EP Regional Development Committee Danuta Hübner, and President of the Committee of the Regions Mercedes Bresso.
Ministers will respond to questions raised by the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers on whether or not: - to maintain structural intervention in regions other than those lagging behind in development; - to step up the geographical targeting of regions; - there is a need to give special attention to regions whose GDP is below the European average; - and on whether or not to keep the concept of regions in transition. (G.B./transl.jl)