Brussels, 13/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - At the beginning of the year, Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn was continuing with his visit to the Greek regions. On 9 and 10 January, he was in the Attica region, just after the Greek presidency of the European Union had been launched. A third of the Greek population lives in this region, of which Athens is also the capital.
Together with the College of Commissioners, the Commissioner attended the opening of the Greek presidency. This is his eighth visit to the country and forms part of his trip to the 13 regions of the country, including the Attica region. During a visit to the region he met Governor Ioannis Sgouros and 63 mayors of the municipalities in the region. The Commissioner congratulated the authorities for their absorption rate of European subsidies, of which 84% were absorbed during the 2014-2020 period.
Hahn discussed the forthcoming round of investments under the 2014-2020 Cohesion Policy programming period. The Attica region is categorised as one of the most developed regions, with GDP of more than 90% of the European average. Available funding will therefore have to focus (80%) on SMEs, digital issues, renewable energies and research. In this respect, the Commissioner regretted that so far, research had not been used to its full extent as a business opportunity. There will therefore be a priority on job creation, developing regional trade, a less state-dependent economy and developing infrastructure. More attention should be given to social cohesion in the capital and the new instrument for integrated territorial investment, which should help provide a boost to urban development.
Projects that are expected to be co-financed out of European funds for the remaining decade include extending the Athens metro and the Port of Lavrio, as well as restoring monuments at the Acropolis. (MD/transl.fl)