Brussels, 30/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, will address the local MPs of Europe at the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 3-4 May. This plenary will seek to clarify the regions' position on the legislative package proposed by the Commission to revise the cohesion policy post-2013. The members of the CoR will adopt various opinions on a number of elements of this reform: - the Common Strategic Framework, report by Catiuscia Marini (PES, Italy); - the regulations on the Cohesion Fund, report by Romeo Stavarache (ALDE, Romania); - the European Regional Development Fund, report by Michael Schneider (EPP, Germany); - the European Social Fund, report by Konstantinos Simitsis (PES, Greece). Opinions on the reforms of the common agricultural policy and common fisheries policy will also be put to the vote.
Referring to the invitation made to Van Rompuy, CoR President Mercedes Bresso felt that this came just at the right time, when the results of the General Affairs Council (24 April) confirmed the “fears of the European regions and cities regarding the growing wave of calls for substantial cuts and austerity, which are the signs of poor long-term vision” (see EUROPE 10601). “This approach jeopardises the ability of the EU to create growth and employment, the effectiveness of the cohesion policy and the achievement of the objectives of the EUROPE 2020 strategy”, she said. In Bresso's view, the face-to-face meeting between Van Rompuy and the local MPs “will provide a unique opportunity to highlight the expectations of millions of citizens who want to see the EU alongside them in fighting the current crisis”. (MD/transl.fl)