Brussels, 24/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - A wind of optimism is blowing on the rural regions in the forthcoming programming of the cohesion policy 2014-2020, while these areas have enormous requirements and remain needy, but social inclusion is set to receive 20% of the money under the EAFRD. Addressing the European Congress of Rural Municipalities in Warsaw on 20 October, the President of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) gave a positive assessment of the proposed reforms for agriculture and European regional policy to remedy the development divides the rural areas are suffering from. Mercedes Bresso pointed out that "physical accessibility, distance from decision-making and research centres and the technological divide are weighty handicaps for many areas to overcome. In social matters, the rural territories present a lower activity rate than urban areas and job creation is much less there as well". In her view, the five billion euro allocated to the rural development policy is a step forward, as is the possibility of bringing together public and private players from rural and urban areas in the completion of integrated local development projects.
However, the president is less keen on the flexibility offered to the member states to divide up the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD): "flexibility should not be used as an excuse to carry out disguised renationalisations. The member states will be free to combine the six priorities defined by the Commission as they see fit". In order to remedy this, Bresso takes inspiration from the 25% of the EAFRD to be allocated to the environment, asking: "Can the Committee of the Regions not ask for at least 20% of the envelope to be earmarked to promote social inclusion, the reduction of poverty and the economic development of rural areas?".
In any case, the rural regions may find a considerable ally in the CoR, with its president pledging that: "The CoR will put all its energy into ensuring that European policies continue to offer all the rural areas a future and the resources to make the best possible use of their assets". (MD/transl.fl)