Brussels, 19/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 January, Portuguese minister Nunes Correia submitted Portugal's National Strategic Reference Framework (NSFF) for 2007-2013 to EU Regional Aid Commissioner Danuta Hubner. This makes Portugal the 12th Member State to lodge its NSFF with the European Commission, after Denmark, France, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and Slovakia (see EUROPE 9341). Commenting on the Portuguese NSFF, Hubner was pleased that the most important EU strategic priorities had been incorporated, namely 1) 'the emphasis on the Cohesion Policy in the context of the re-launched Lisbon Strategy with its focus on growth and jobs; 2) the need for greater concentration and selectivity, and better focussed policy instruments; 3) the paramount importance of promoting human capital along with the internationalisation and improved specialisation in the Portuguese economy'. 'Therefore,' Hubner said, 'the European Commission fully supports the declared intention of the Portuguese authorities to concentrate on three thematic priorities: factors of competitiveness, human potential and territorial development, and to earmark a considerable proportion of resources for competitiveness.' The Commissioner highlighted 'the excellent cooperation between the Portuguese administration and the Commission services.'
Danuta Hubner pointed out that the EU Cohesion Policy had 'changed in the light of the major challenges Europe faces today: enlargement, globalisation, economic growth concerns, climate and population changes, stark territorial pressures, and so on.' 'Those challenges are also opportunities that Europe, as a whole, can and must embrace for a more prosperous and fairer future. Those are the objectives to which Cohesion Policy is bound to make a significant contribution to during the next seven years: improving the attractiveness of Member States and their regions; encouraging innovation, entrepreneurship and the growth of the knowledge economy, creating more and better jobs and enhancing the territorial and cities potentials (sic) in all EU regions as well as increase (sic) good governance,' added the Commissioner. (gb)