Brussels, 08/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 6 October 2012, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, urged the richer EU countries to continue funding the Cohesion Policy in 2014-2020 in order to help the poorest. At a press conference in Bratislava, Barroso said political agreement was needed and the richer countries should endorse an ambitious policy to aid the less rich regions of Europe as a way of contributing to growth throughout Europe, adding that the Cohesion Fund could stimulate growth and help fix the economic crisis.
At a meeting of “Friends of Cohesion”, an informal group of 15 EU countries, the president of the Commission said “the friends of cohesion and the friends of better spending join what I could call the Friends of Growth”. This is how to have unity at the European Council and it is necessary to regain growth in Europe, he said, adding that the budget is an instrument for that and cohesion is the essential part. On Monday 8 October, in Cyprus during a maritime conference, the Commissin president also spoke of the meeting of Friends of Cohesion in Bratislava, saying: it is important for net contributors to commit to solidarity to the less prosperous regions.
These coutnries, represented by 11 prime minsiters at the Bratislava meeting, are net beneficiaires of the European budget, are fighting against the cut-backs demanded by richer EU nations. Barroso said cohesion was an important tool for reducing imbalances across Europe and many of the problems facing us today are caused by these imbalances. (LC/transl.fl)