Brussels, 08/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - “Cities, regions and stronger rural zones” will be the lightening conductor of the German Presidency of the EU's work in the domain of regional policy. Berlin considers that “integrated urban development, and better coordination in territorial development policy and urban development, will contribute to both sustainable management of demographic changes and a policy focusing on growth”.
The Presidency announced that it would, to this end, be organising an exchange of experiences as part of an informal ministerial meeting on 23-25 May in Leipzig. This meeting will “aim to define measures to adopt that improve the situation in deprived neighbourhoods and enhance the local private sector there”. The Presidency also intends to adopt a “Leipzig Charter” at the meeting, accompanied by guidelines for integrated and sustainable urban development, as well as a European Union Territorial Agenda containing guidelines for territorial development aimed at attaining greater competitiveness in Europe, and better use of regional diversity. The Presidency's programme explains that the German Presidency is “therefore establishing the link between the Council's decisions on sustainable development and their practical application to the development of neighbourhoods, cities and regions”.
Berlin also points out that “reorientation of agricultural policy takes into account optimum responsibility towards regional development” and indicates that during the informal meetings of agriculture ministers and a variety of conferences, it will be kicking off “debates that go beyond the agricultural arena in an effort to develop concepts and instruments for rural zones”. (gb)