Brussels, 12/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - As budget decision-making approaches, the leaders of the outermost regions (ORs) met Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn in Brussels on Thursday 12 May, to determine what can be done for these regions, ambassadors for the EU throughout the world. Among the advances made on Thursday were probable retention of the special grant to ORs because of the handicaps they face, the need for greater diversification of economic opportunities in future, relations with their immediate neighbours, respect for the specific status accorded to ORs in the Lisbon Treaty and Article 349 of the Treaty, and relations between the internal market and the ORs.
With regard to the EU multi-annual financial framework, Hahn noted that the ORs had received special funding which, under what he is proposing, is likely to be kept in place in future. At this stage, he was unable to give any definite figures as a decision has yet to be made on the overall budget. “It will all depend on the total size of the budget”, he said. As the regional policy commissioner, Hahn says he is well aware of the problems the ORs have to face and stated that he would do everything possible to help them. Many ORs have indeed done well, but, in the new financial perspectives, it will be necessary to work to bring greater diversification of economies, building on existing structures and widening the range of economic possibilities and opportunities in the interests of the regions, he commented.
On the relations between ORs and their immediate neighbours, Hahn highlighted that there were specific issues here, since the outermost regions were part of the internal market, comply with its regulations and enjoy its benefits. For these regions, however, there were also challenges and disadvantages as they belonged to another environment with different rules and different situations. This, Hahn stated, was a point that needed to be addressed. He announced that former Spanish finance minister Pedro Solbes was currently preparing a report on the internal market and the ORs.
Serge Letchimy, who heads the Conference of Presidents from the Outermost Regions, said that progress had been made in specific areas, and more especially on the issue of special funding to ORs to help them meet the challenges of competitiveness. Letchimy would like this compensation to be “flexible and tailored for purpose”. On the wider neighbourhood policy, “a proper integrated maritime strategy” was essential. A further key matter for the ORs is shared growth to reduce unemployment and good use of funding. A message to the 27 member states of the EU: the ORs provide an opportunity for the EU, they are not a handicap. They are a test ground to be used carefully and well, and to be built in a globalisation of social forces. (G.B./transl.rt)