14/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - During its meeting in Vienna on 12 December, the steering committee of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has launched an appeal to the Heads of State and Government, urging them to reach an "immediate agreement" on the financial perspectives of the EU, at the European Council Thursday and Friday, at a level which is coherent with the requirements of the Lisbon strategy and a genuine European cohesion policy. In its statement adopted after the meeting, the CEMR states that "any reduction (of the budget) for the cohesion and regional policies at a level below the proposal of Luxembourg Presidency would be perceived as unfair, and the negation of everything the EU represents". The CEMR stresses that the cohesion policy must allow the "commitments to the new Member States to be respected".