07/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - French Socialist members of the European Parliament welcome in a press release the fact that Structural Fund and Cohesion Fund regulations were adopted in second reading after two years of parliamentary work (see EUROPE 9225). This is a major stage in the reform process of European regional policy aimed at adjusting it to the challenges of enlargement and a more competitive and sustainable economy in the context of Lisbon Strategy reactivation, Bernadette Bourzai said. Ms Bourzai was nonetheless critical about two points: the contribution that regional policy must make to the Lisbon goals and the fate reserved for rural areas. In her view, this reform of the Structural Funds must indeed make a contribution to the competitiveness objectives but it must first and foremost ensure the economic, social and territorial cohesion of Europe. Ms Bourzai went on to say that, although urban policies have been the focus of many debates, this has not been true of the rural world whose future is now linked to the 2nd pillar of CAP which has suffered a drastic reduction in funding. It is therefore appropriate to ensure that the Structural Fund works as it should on the ground with the new Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, she said.