Brussels, 02/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - Annika Annerby Jansson was appointed head of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) last autumn and is keeping a watchful eye on the developments unfolding in Europe that could have a positive impact on the European regions. She is also the president of the Council of the Swedish Region of Skane and is formulating recommendations on the Adriatic-Ionian Strategy and implementation of reformed cohesion policy for 2014-2020. Rather than drawing up a balance sheet of the current European mandates now drawing to an end, she is focusing on the work to be undertaken following the European elections (interview by MD).
Agence Europe: What are the CPMR's expectations regarding the Adriatic-Ionian macro-regional strategy (EUSAIR) and what advice can CPMR give for a successful strategy?
Annika Annerby Jansson: For me, a macro-region is a true population catchment area. An area of cooperation that brings together regional, national and European levels together with socio-economic actors working on the ground to establish a multi-level governance system focused on clear and precise objectives. Moreover, the CPMR is divided into geographical commissions corresponding to Europe's sea basins, which are a precursor of the move towards adopting macro-regional strategies. With my experience of the Baltic, I can safely say that the EUSAIR strategy will be achieved in practice by effectively involving regional and local authorities in its development and implementation, since the relatively intergovernmental way in which the Baltic strategy has been implemented has shown its limitations and drawbacks.
Fewer than half the member states have submitted their proposed partnership agreements. Are we on the right track? Is the timetable not a little tight to start the programmes financed by EU structural funds in 2014-2020?
I am concerned about the programmes starting to deliver funding as soon as possible to deal with immediate issues, such as tackling youth unemployment, and there is indeed the risk that regions will potentially be paying the price for lengthy negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council on the EU budget and cohesion policy for 2014 - 2020. However, the Commission has clearly said that they will not trade efficiency for speed, which means that priority will be given to quality investment programmes. The CPMR will monitor closely whether partnership arrangements with regions are meaningful in practice.
What opportunities can Europe's regions take from the European elections? What are they expecting under the next term of office of the European institutions?
The CPMR aims to strengthen the integrated maritime policy (IMP) to boost blue growth in the territories. We set up the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup in the European Parliament, and a procedure to carry it forward under the next legislature has been launched with Gesine Meissner (ADLE, Germany) and other MEPs. For the CPMR, the IMP under the next term of office needs to be strongly linked to regional smart specialisation strategies and existing sea basin strategies or ones to be developed in the North Sea, Mediterranean, Black Sea and Arctic. We will also be keeping a close eye on the implementation of this new programme and also on ways of improving accessibility between European territories.