Brussels, 07/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - In the context of preparing the meeting of European ministers responsible for spatial planning to be held on 6 and 7 December in Bristol (UK), the Intergroup on Urban and Housing Issues chaired by MEP Jean-Marie Beaupuy (ALDE, France) heard UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott on Tuesday 6 September, in Brussels.
Considering it “high time” that an interest is taken in the urban dimension of regional policy, John Prescott stresses in a press release that the negotiation on the financial perspectives will allow an evaluation to be made of what is needed at European level when it comes to urban policy. The British minister said there is no one answer to all the national problems. What is needed are joint financial instruments that are more flexible in meeting each of the problems today and it is therefore up to each and every one of us to be quite clear about the way this money is used. Following closely behind, Jean-Marie Beaupuy said “we shall not achieve the goals of the Lisbon strategy without the towns and cities”.