Brussels, 23/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) is calling for a macro-regional strategy for the Alps. In a resolution adopted on Thursday 23 May, MEPs called on the European Commission to begin work in this connection, despite the latter's apparently cautious approach in this field.
The resolution was put forward by the chairwoman of the EP regional development committee, Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland) and calls on the European Commission to bring forward an action plan for the Alpine region as soon as possible in order to overcome the “structural handicaps” that are its mountains. This will involve improving transport, energy security, environmental protection, social and economic development, cultural exchanges and civil protection in the Alpine region. MEPs are also calling for the macro-regional proposal to take into account the lessons drawn from the strategies is already in place in the Danube River region and around the Baltic Sea.
Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Commissioner Karel De Gucht did, however, seek to sound a note of caution in his response to an oral question put to him by Hübner on this subject before the vote on the resolution. The Commissioner pointed out that “the Commission understands everything that has already been done on the ground, as well as the evaluation of the existing macro-regional strategies and how this will contribute positively to the ongoing discussion regarding new macro-regional concepts”.
Hübner, therefore, harbours little hope that the Commission can already take action with regard to the Alpine region before summer but she told EUROPE that she did hope to have some kind of sign of commitment before the end of the year. She is also counting on the support of the Council in this connection, particularly with regard to the Council including the request for the macro-regional strategy for the Alpine region in its forthcoming conclusions.
Hübner also notes that the next legislative framework currently being negotiated for the 2014-2020 cohesion policy planning period also includes more room for the emergence of this kind of macro-regional strategy. As Parliament has already demonstrated through other resolutions, the macro-regions of the Adriatic and Atlantic region could also benefit from this kind of strategy in the long-term because they “are not starting from scratch” and several agreements have already been established with the different authorities, said Hübner. (MD/transl.fl)