Brussels, 01/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - A final consultation took place in Milan on 1-2 December regarding the Alpine macro region, where a strategy is expected to be introduced in 2015 (EUSALP). The partnership between the different levels of power appears crucial.
The two days of brainstorming initiated by the Commission and the Italian presidency will complete the responses to the public consultation that came to an end in the middle of last October on the fourth initiative of this kind (following the Danube, Baltic Sea and Adriatic-Ionian Sea strategies). On this basis, a communication and action plan are expected in the middle of 2015 for the 15 Alpine regions in Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Slovenia, Switzerland Lichtenstein (adoption at the end of 2015). The European Commissioner for Regional Development, Corina Cretu, opening the conference, outlined the challenges of road congestion and water management, which would be met through the Alpine strategy. She underlined the need for promoting the partnership as a means of ensuring the strategy's success and also underlined the know-how of the different actors working on the ground. The Commissioner said “We will never know the Alpine Region, better than the people who live in, work in and grow in the Alpine region. The EUSALP must capitalise on the efficiency and experience of these regions, both EU and non-member countries alike, to ensure that no locality, region or resident is left behind in this renewed drive for prosperity”. This approach was strongly advocated by the Committee of the Regions, which, during the conference, appealed for all the different power levels to be included in the discussions on the EUSALP. A draft report in this connection will be adopted during the Committee of the Regions' plenary this week. Rapporteur Herwig Van Staa recommended, for example, the introduction of a rotating presidency between the member states involved in the Alpine strategy and a special representative as coordinator. (MD)