Brussels, 13/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - On the initiative of Commissioners Danuta Hübner (regional policy) and Vladimir Spidla (social affairs), on 13 July, the Commission adopted two key documents to help regions make the most of the cohesion policy. The first is a draft proposal on Community strategic guidelines (CSG) for cohesion policy, establishing the priorities for investment under the new programmes in accordance with the EU's growth and jobs agenda agreed in 2005. The second is a communication on “Cohesion Policy and cities”: on the contribution of cities and urban areas to growth and employment within the regions, in which the Commission offers tools for an integrated urban policy, on the basis of the needs of cities, urban areas and regions. These two documents were cornerstones allowing us to take the new programmes all the way in terms of cohesion, Ms Hübner told press.
Taking stock of the situation on cohesion policy before the summer break, Ms Hübner pointed out that, one week ago, two key decisions had been adopted on second reading by the European Parliament on the 2007-2013 structural funds package and were taken on board by the Council (see EUROPE 9225 and 9231), and that the Commission would rule on eligibility criteria for the regions and on budgetary allocations for the regions within the framework of the various objectives (see related article). Following all these decisions, everything would be clear for the preparation of the operational programmes, said Ms Hübner. With these tools, she said, work would begin on the contents of the strategic guidelines adopted by the Commission, for Council decision. Public consultations with the regions and talks with Member States had already begun, she said. Reiterating what she had said to the EP regional development committee, Ms Hübner stated that the Finnish Presidency expected a Council agreement on the guidelines at the meeting of 5 October. EP approval should come at the end of September, she noted (see EUROPE 9231 and related article). Then, the operational programmes could be made official in the national strategic reference frameworks for the 2007-2013 structural funds.
The Community strategic guidelines were based on two important principles: a modernised cohesion policy and a compulsory partnership, said Ms Hübner. The partnership principle, she said in response to a question meant that, as soon as the Commission decided on how the money was to be allocated, Member States would be able to hold public consultation with various partners (the business world, NGOs, local and territorial community authorities, social partners and bodies responsible for fund management). She added that the involvement of private players in the funding would, because of the particular attributes they would bring, improve the projects. These guidelines deal with the political priorities of the EU, which has to invest in three areas: (1) accessibility of regions and cities by improving transport infrastructure; (2) innovation, entrepreneurship and the growth of the knowledge economy; and (3) all that is linked to people: employability, access to the jobs market, needs of migrants and of people with disability.
The communication on cities notes that actions to promote urban development can take different forms depending on the nature and particular needs of the urban areas. The text recommends, among other things, the promotion of innovation, support for SMEs, reduction in the disparities between districts and social groups, and tackling crime and the fear of crime. “In the years to come, European cities will be the spearhead in terms of innovation and knowledge. There is a great concentration of well trained human resources in cities. Our wealth is concentrated there. Cities' potential for growth has to be exploited to the full,” argued Ms Hübner.
Speaking about MEPs' concerns on the review of the European Solidarity Fund (see EUROPE 9231 and related article), Ms Hübner said that over the last few years, great demands had been placed on the Fund. “There have been a number of major catastrophes, and eighteen months ago, we decided that the Fund should be reorganised to make it more effective. We have the overwhelming support of the EP in this,” she said, unhappy that EU finance ministers were not prepared to move on this. “The ball is now in the court of the Finnish Presidency. I'm trying to be optimistic, but maybe my optimist is not really justified,” she remarked.
In reply to a question regarding substantial cuts planned for the structural funds budget 2007 (discussed on Friday) at the Council: see other article, Ms Hübner declared that the only cuts she had heard about involved the European institutions' administrative budget and therefore would affect potential Commission officials from new and older EU Member States. She also explained that the Director General of Regional Policy, Graham Meadows had warned the Commission that they were at the bottom line in view of the number of officials needed to keep European policies functioning.