Brussels, 11/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 10 October, representatives from European cities and regions met at the European Parliament for the Committee of the Regions' (CoR) plenary session. This meeting coincided with the inauguration of the ninth Open Days event, a week dedicated to issues involving the European regions. The beginning of the week therefore provides the regions with a higher profile and logically follows on from the recent announcements of the legislative package for 2014-2020 coalition policy, as pointed out by the European Commissioner for regional policy, Johannes Hahn, “The Open Days provide a unique opportunity for our regional partners to participate in the debate on the future of cohesion policy at a time that this policy is in full throttle… we are now counting on the pro-active support of the regions and cities to push forward proposals that put the Union's objectives into practice for growth, jobs, investment and smart projects”. Nonetheless, the very controversial macro-economic condition once again came into question but representatives from the different EU institutions also called for more Europe and urged regional representatives to pass on this message at a regional level.
Barroso's support for cohesion. The president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, stated that, “the European Union is experiencing a particularly difficult period. It is important that you, as European leaders, also talk up Europe in your respective regions and countries. It is important that the regions of Europe tell European governments to what extent regional and cohesion policy is important. They should also explain that money invested in this policy is not for Brussels but for the European regions…. It is very important to strengthen this relationship between the European institutions and regions”. He also highlighted the role of the regions in the context of this unprecedented crisis, “in this particularly demanding period, I would like to pay homage to the significant efforts being made by the local and regional authorities. I would also like to once again underline the fact that the commitment made by the cities and regions is absolutely indispensable for us being able to build a Union of stability and responsibility, growth and solidarity”.
Macro-economic conditions. Given that the European Commission presented a review of cohesion policy on 6 October last, the CoR plenary debates subsequently focused on this package. Although, overall, the CoR welcomed the efforts made to introduce greater simplification, multi-level governance, the regional dimension and a new regions in transition category, the macro-economic condition remains the, “Damocles' sword hanging over development of the region's local authorities”, as explained by Michael Delebarre, speaking on behalf of CoR Social Democrats. This proposal would suspend or even cancel funding if a member state failed to comply with the recommendations made to it with regard to good economic and financial governance. Mercedes Bresso, the president of CoR, provided assurances that the revised policy, often defined as being both, “a carrot and a stick” (in reference to the conditions and incentives linked to awarding structural funds) targeted poor authorities with its stick. As she explained at the previous plenary session press conference, “macro-economic conditions are in danger of creating big problems. The regions count on 65% of public investment for a 15% equivalent in debt. We will therefore be penalising institutions that as a whole are not affected by this debt… the fact that we are able to count on resources and investment projects is essential. If there is no longer any assurance of security, especially for those behind it, investment policy and subsequently cohesion policy would be compromised”.
Regional Policy Commissioner Hahn continues to ride out criticism saying that these are last resort measures and would only be applied in unforeseen circumstances. He asserted in a press conference that this article would not even apply to Greece, given that this state is attempting to respect the recommendations made to it. He also regretted that controversy continues to be fuelled on this point, although the package modernising and simplifying cohesion policy has been very positively welcomed.
Open Days. These initial debates are a prelude to a week that promises to be intense for Europe's regions and which will be in the spotlight over the next few days in Brussels and elsewhere in the Union, as part of the ninth European week for the regions and cities that is seeking to promote, “Investing in the Future of Europe: vectors for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”. The CoR will be meeting up for its plenary session on the 11 and 12 October. (MD/trans/fl)