Brussels, 11/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - EUROPE is carefully following the first steps of Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso (EPP, Spain) who has been head of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) since the beginning of August. He took over from Mercedes Bresso (PES, Italy) as provided for in an agreement between the two groups on alternating the presidency of the consultative committee.
Valcárcel shares his intentions for his two and half year post in Brussels. The EUROPE 2020 strategy will be his guiding light, but in the immediate term it is defence of the cohesion policy and his budget which command all his attention - although he will also have to manage the policies of the region of Murcia in Spain over which he presides. The political leader is confident about the economic developments in his region - a region which is counting on receiving €300 million from the bailout funds, set up by Madrid, to reduce liquidity problems (see EUROPE 10677).
Valcárcel also reckons on making the best use of his presidency to establish the CoR's competences within the European institutional framework.
(Agence Europe) What are your priorities over the coming months at the head of the Committee of the Regions? In the immediate term, what projects have you got planned?
(Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso) At the Committee of the Regions we are looking forward to continuing our work with citizens. Since it was created in 1994, the CoR has been considered as a tool for citizens - it's a matter of the closest representation of citizens, town halls, cities and regions. The top priority, especially in this time of euroscepticism, is to tell citizens that the CoR is going to be useful for getting out of it. The CoR's roadmap pursues the EUROPE 2020 strategy and, amongst other things, it includes the digital agenda, the fight against poverty, employment, and European industrial policy. In the immediate term, it's a very full schedule that I have. I have already met the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, as well as - last week - the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, and the Cypriot president, Dimitris Christofias, who is holding the reins of the rotating presidency of the EU (Council of Ministers). I plan to hold meetings with the European commissioners for regional policy, Johannes Hahn, and competition, Joaquín Almunia, too. Also the CoR is very involved in the EU-China interinstitutional summit.
What message will you give the representatives from the different European institutions? Do you intend to redefine the CoR's place with the other European institutions?
We have already had the chance to discuss the CoR's role with the Commission in the past, for example. We are of the opinion that relations between the European institutions need to be strengthened. I also emphasise the fact that the territorial pacts are crucial tools for setting up the EUROPE 2020 strategy, in association with the regions, cities and towns of Europe. As for the role that the CoR plays with the other institutions, well everything can still be improved! Since 1994 the principles of subsidiarity and multi-level governance have gradually been put in place. But the CoR continues to insist that it wants to be the voice of the regions with the European institutions. And I intend to work so that the Committee has more power in the institutional framework.
What do you expect from the next institutional negotiations on the budget which will be allocated to the cohesion policy, and also the negotiations dedicated to the reform of this policy?
It is absolutely imperative that all the regions can continue to benefit from the cohesion policy. And I am particularly concerned about the regions in transition - like the region of Murcia over which I preside in Spain; for example. The reform must also take account of these regions, where GDP per inhabitant is between 75-90% of the European average. As for the budget that will be allocated to the cohesion policy, I would like it to be at least the same level as in the past. For this budget to really be an investment instrument, it is imperative that it not be frozen or reduced.
You mention your region Murcia. This summer Murcia expressed interest in taking advantage of the regional bailout funds established by Madrid. Can you enlighten us on the economic situation in the Spanish regions?
Let me stress that, in the past, the region of Murcia obtained the performance prize for management of the European structural funds - a distinction which rewards Murcia's responsibility and its high absorption rate on this. What is more, it is true that the region of Murcia will need the Spanish government. But it's a 'normal' situation, I would say. Today we use complicated terms like “bailout” but the reality is different. There is an income problem in the vast majority of European regions, and in the member states themselves. And these income problems lead to public debt, which a consequence also of the crisis and the economic slowdown. Nonetheless, there is social spending which must be confronted and which the regions can't renounce. But this deficit must be covered. So we must ask for loans to refinance it. The best guarantee remains the state - and all the more so as the financial markets are closed to us. So the state provides money to the regions, with obvious conditions to respect, like the deficit level.
There are regions which are in a better position, but that of Murcia is traditionally a region that welcomes immigrants - which involves big social costs. We can't deny this social policy to immigrants, yet it still takes fourth place for Spanish regions least in debt. The amount is not as excessive as all that, then, considering the number of immigrants.
Could your mission at the head of the CoR be to take shelter from the worry in Spain which doubtless requires a lot of your attention?
I am not Superman, but I have an ability to work and colleagues both in Murcia and in Brussels, which enables me to deepen a very intense agenda both at the Committee of the Regions and in my region… Ever since the Committee was created, the president has always been elected in a region of Europe, so it's compatible. I'm a man, but I can do two things at once!
You're hinting at your predecessor, Mercedes Bresso, in saying that. Will there be notable changes in the management of the CoR? Mrs Bresso is Socialist, and you are Christian-Democrat…
There is an extraordinary understanding between the two of us, and I don't think there will be many differences - which isn't surprising as Mrs Bresso is a convinced European. Multi-level governance is a fundamental subject for the Committee of the Regions, and we also defend the same visions with regard to the cohesion policy. We have also been co-rapporteurs at the CoR on the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework. So we also have affinity with regard to this. There won't be different policies but each has his personal commitment and must face the current circumstances. The context determines the political action, and I'm counting on getting down to the EUROPE 2020 strategy and its mid-term review - a subject which is going to mark the two years to come.