Brussels, 18/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is maintaining the pressure on negotiations taking place on the review of cohesion policy for the 2014-2020 planning period. With ministers responsible for regional policy, territorial cohesion and urban development holding an informal meeting in Poznan, Poland, on Friday 25 November, AER has urged all the regions of Europe to write to their national governments to make clear to them the concerns over Commission proposals for a regulation on the structural funds and over budgetary issues in particular. This is to make sure that the regions are fully involved in all decision-making processes, as that is the only way, according to the AER, that cohesion policy can have a real impact on European territorial development.
The points most open to criticism in the new cohesion policy at this stage are macro-economic conditionality and combining the Commission's thematic focus with territorial priorities (which number 11 in all: research, ICT, SMEs, low carbon economy, adaptation to climate change, the environment, sustainable transport, employment, social inclusion, education, the efficiency of public administration). AER says that the ministers who will meet shortly to discuss the Commission proposals should also give consideration to three points: simplification of the rules and procedures for allocating structural funds, the principles of partnership and multi-level governance, and an integrated territorial approach.
The informal ministerial meeting will be preceded on Thursday 24 November by a conference organised by the Polish Presidency of the EU Council on an “Integrated Approach to Development - A Key to a smart, sustainable and inclusive Europe”. EUROPE will return to this, too. (MD/transl.rt)