Brussels, 10/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) conducted a survey between 8 September and 10 October 2005 to assess the level of involvement of regions and cities in preparing National Reform Programmes (NRPs) under the Lisbon Strategy. Questionnaires were sent to regions and cities in all 25 EU Member States, as well as associations representing them, and NRP national coordinators. The survey found that only 17% of regions and cities were satisfied with their involvement in the preparation of NRPs. NRPs outline objectives for the next three years in micro and macroeconomic policy and employment. The CoR is currently analysing the published NRPs in order to make a comparison with the survey results. This analysis will form part of the CoR's contribution to the Spring European Council on 23/24 March.
The survey aimed to measure the involvement of towns and regions in the preparation of the NRPs and outlining regions' and cities' priorities under the reform programmes. Two different questionnaires were used, one for regions and cities and associations representing them, and the other for NRP coordinators. The CoR received 103 responses from the local and regional level and 16 from the national representatives of Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. The following questions were asked: 1) Are you happy with the involvement of regions and cities in the drawing up of NRPs? 2) What obstacles have regions and cities met to their involvement? 3) Which are the priority integrated guidelines for regions and cities? 4) Do national coordinators take account of the contributions from regions and cities in drafting NRPs? and 5) How do the NRPs provide added value for regional and local development?
The main conclusions of the survey are:
1) Involvement in drafting NRPs. 17% of the surveyed regions and cities are happy with their involvement. A significant number of respondents stated that the absence of any call for consultation was the main reason for their not participating in the process. The CoR comments that even where consultation did take place, their proposals were not recognised as a 'main contribution' by national coordinators in 80% of cases.
2) Content of NRPs. With regard to the content of the NRP proposals, regions and cities underlined the importance of adapting education and training systems to meet new challenges, and the need to create a more attractive, supportive business environment for SMEs.
3) Potential value added of NRPs for local and regional development. The survey showed that 31% of regions and cities and 94% of national coordinators believe the NRPs set clear priorities. Only 13% of all respondents stated that the NRPs provide adequate financial resources, and only 7% of regions and cities say they offer clear timetables for reforms (compared to 31% for national coordinators).
4) Cohesion. Few regions and cities perceive a cohesive territorial approach in the draft NRPs for regions lagging behind for natural reasons (14%), or those lagging behind for economic and social reasons (25%). They are therefore calling for a greater degree of coherence between the NRPs and the EU's Cohesion Policy to ensure a more balanced approach in achieving the targets for growth and employment.
Responding to the survey results, CoR President Peter Straub said the EU's work to boost competitiveness on the global level will only have an impact if all levels of government work in partnership. He said that only if all stakeholders were fully involved, would the Lisbon Strategy be able to be fully successful. He added that everyone had to be got on board to ensure the targets could be met.
Austrian Vice-Chancellor Hubert Gorbach called on 8 January for 'more powers to the Europe of the Regions'. The Austrian Presidency has said it wants to champion subsidiarity. The Committee of the Regions' survey showed that 'an alarming gap exists between the Theory of subsidiarity and what is actually happening in practice,' said Gorbach.