Brussels, 25/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption on Wednesday of the opinion by its vice-president (and Birmingham city councillor) Sir Albert Bore, entitled “Building our Common Future: Policy Challenges and Budgetary Means of the Enlarged Union”, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) approved the European Commission's proposals on the financial perspectives for 2007-2013. After a very lively debate, the Committee felt that the Commission's proposals were the necessary minimum for ensuring cohesion, growth and security in a 27-member Europe. “An overall EU budget based on 1.14% of GNI, of which 0.41% is earmarked for cohesion policy (…) is the minimum threshold on which to deliver European cohesion, competitiveness and growth”, Albert Bore stressed in plenary, adding: “It is unrealistic to expect more Europe for less money”.
The CoR again places emphasis on the “inextricable link” between an effective European-wide regional policy and the implementation of the Lisbon and Gothenburg strategies aimed at achieving sustainable growth. Recalling the letter from the six net contributors to the EU budget calling for expenditure for the period 2007-2013 to have a 1% of GNI ceiling, the CoR warned that this could “prejudice policies with specific Treaty status”. The Committee also underlines the importance of the partnership approach, linking local, regional, national and transnational spheres, to ensure the continued success of European regional policy. It recommends that the European Commission issue an annual statement assessing the progress made towards achieving the policy aims set out in the financial perspectives 2007-2013 and on the “contribution of each level of government (local, regional and national) to provide an impetus, if necessary, to economic reform and greater engagement, accountability and good governance”.