13/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - A minister in Brussels to recommend tightening up cohesion policies. The Italian minister for regional policy, Raffaele Fitto, held a series of meetings in Brussels on Tuesday 12 July to recommend tightening up the cohesion policies of the European Union, particularly with a view to the negotiation of the financial framework 2014-2020. Amongst others, Fitto met Italian members of the European Parliament and told journalists that “for Italy, the cohesion policy is a very important part of the debate on the future financial framework of the European Union” and that “it needs tightening up” (our translation). At the same time, Italy aims to keep its contribution to the Community budget at its current level in percentage terms. In its proposals on the financial framework 2014-2020, the Commission is planning to implement small reductions in the percentage terms of funding for the cohesion and agricultural policies. In his meetings in Brussels, Fitto observed “a joint willingness on the part of all Italian MEPs to support national interests in the European framework”. (G.Ba/Gp/transl.fl).