Brussels, 27/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 26 June, the European Commission published its eighth progress report on economic, social and territorial cohesion, with emphasis on the regional and urban dimension of the crisis. The problems flagged up by the Commission relate to unemployment and poverty rates, falling incomes impacting on consumption, GDP and employment levels that have not yet got back to their pre-crisis levels and spiralling public debt. The Commission notes that “the degree of seriousness of the problems varies considerably in Europe. It would therefore be desirable for future cohesion programmes to take into account these disparities, in order to ensure maximum impact and that target problems are tackled where they are at their most serious”. The report highlights the need for cohesion resources to target employment, social inclusion, innovation and SMEs. The president of the Committee of the Regions responded by insisting that this progress report be taken seriously, especially given that these disparities appear to be getting worse. “In order to rectify the increasing inequalities in the Union, we have to ensure that the next raft of projects funded by the EU are of a high quality and are targeted at the different needs of each city and region.” Just like the European Commission report, it is also insisting that operational programmes start on time. (MD/transl.fl)