Brussels, 02/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Speaking ahead of the 5th Cohesion Forum, Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Mercedes Bresso has sent out her message loud and clear: “We want to ensure that cohesion policy has the resources it needs after 2013 to continue the process of reducing the economic, social and territorial disparities between Europe's regions. Cohesion policy remains crucial because of its method of involving Europe's regions, cities and social partners, because it's a sign of Europe's solidarity with the less developed areas and, finally, because it stimulates additional dynamics for the single market and Europe's economy as a whole”.
In a CoR press release, Bresso underlined the practical benefits of regional aid for Europe's citizens: “In a nutshell, cohesion policy is the most visible EU intervention. Not a single European citizen can live in his city or region without seeing its benefits, either in the form of new bridges or roads, or in the form of upgraded public services. This is Europe's added value”. She welcomed plans to better coordinate the different European funds and to mobilise all levels of government in programme design and implementation, but cautioned: “The proposed common strategic framework has to be defined jointly by the Council and the European Parliament, together with the Committee of the Regions. In addition, regional and local authorities have to participate in the design, negotiation and implementation of the 'partnership contracts'”.
For the Cohesion Forum; see EUROPE 10306/10305. (G.B./transl.rt)