Brussels, 02/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - Speaking at the Institut Supérieur du Management Public et Politique in Brussels on 28 February, a week before the European Spring summit, Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner took stock of European regional policy and of member states' plans for regional matters (see EUROPE 9370). “Europe needs to connect not just with its regions but also with its citizens. The European Council on 8-9 March and the Declaration on Berlin on 25 March are both important in this context,” she said. She went on to say:
(1) “The Declaration of Berlin (which will be adopted by heads of state and government on 24 March) will be an occasion to celebrate 50 years of peace, prosperity and stability in Europe, but also an opportunity to look forward to the next steps of the European project, and to lay out clearly for citizens why the Union is the answer to many of the challenges of the 21st century”. “I hope (the declaration) will also say what sort of Union we need - a political union with common policies in all those areas where there is clear value added, a Union of values and of citizens, which is globally relevant, open and efficient,” she added. Among the challenges facing the EU, Ms Hübner spoke of globalisation, climate change and environmental protection, and political solidarity.
(2) “The Commission's Annual Progress report on the Lisbon Agenda (for growth and jobs) … will be discussed at the (Spring) Council. … This year's Annual Progress Report makes clear that the involvement of the regions in the growth and jobs agenda is now a reality. … Lisbon has reached the regions” and the regions have become key players in the modernisation of the European economy. Ms Hübner noted that over the next seven years, regional programmes will put the emphasis on the type of investment which is most relevant for the modernisation of Europe's economy. “All member states have now submitted either final or draft versions of their strategies for regional policy programmes and it is clear that about €200 billion of the total EU funding of €350 billion will go on areas such as innovation, RTD (Research and Technical Development) and the knowledge economy, and on efforts to promote entrepreneurship and the growth of innovative businesses”. (gb)