Brussels, 15/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The committee on regional policy of the EP adopted the own-initiative report by Jean-Marie Beaupuy (ALDE, France), president of the Intergroup de l'Intergroupe URBAN-Housing at the EP, on the "Urban dimension in the context of enlargement", almost unanimously, on 12 September. The objective is to bring an urban dimension into future regulations on the structural funds, which will accompany the financial perspectives 2007-2013.
Adopting this report, the MEPs said that they are convinced that the cities, particularly small and medium ones, have a central role to play in the achievement of the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives, and called for the recognition of urban policy in general. In particular, the MEPs call upon the Commission to promote sustainable urban development tools which are accessible to all cities. In his report, Mr Beaupuy notes that "the new cohesion policy takes into consideration the fact that urban areas are seen as motors for economic change and as key elements in regional development generated within the EU". Mr Beaupuy went on to stress that as over 80% of economic activity is generated in cities, the local authorities are key partners for regional development and the achievement of the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives. He pointed out in a press release that "a number of Community policies have a direct or indirect impact on cities, which are home to the greatest proportion of the European population". As a result of this, concludes Mr Beaupuy, urban development must be an objective of the European policies, particularly regional policy.