Brussels, 03/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - Continuing her visits overland in an effort to meet local and regional actors, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner was in Lisbon on 4 May for meetings with Prime Minister José Socrates, Foreign Affairs Minister Freitas do Amaral, the Minister for the Environment, Regional Development and Urban Planning Francisco Nunez Correia, as well as the Secretary of State for European Affairs Fernando D'Oliveira Neves.
This visit follows that of the Commissioner to Dresden, on 2 May, where she listened to Minister-Presidents of the six Länders of East Germany explain the situation and regions, as well as how Structural funds worker in their regions. At the end of the meetings and a series of visits to hi-tech companies and centres specialising in micro-electronics and information technology, Ms Hübner stated, “I am very impressed by the high level of investment being focusing on Research, Development and Innovation showing that there is already a strong commitment in the region towards the Lisbon Strategy”. (Between 2000 - 2006, the East German Länder received European Structural Funds to the tune of EUR 23 bn as part of Objective 1, less developed regions of the EU).