Brussels, 08/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On 7 June, the European Parliament regional development committee voted by 45 votes to one, with two abstentions, to adopt the report by Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg (PES, Poland) on the role and effectiveness of the cohesion policy in reducing disparities in the poorest regions of the EU, thereby calling for resolute action to be taken immediately to reduce the most acute development shortcomings. MEPs also say that the new member states that have joined the EU since 2004 need special support to overcome their institutional, administrative and economic shortcomings.
Using statistics published by Eurostat in February 2007, the Geringer de Oedenberg report shows that regional GDP per capita in the 27-member EU ranges from 303% of the EU average in Inner London (UK) to 24% in the north east of Romania. The report also notes that, in some of the poorest regions of the EU, unemployment levels are above 20%. It stresses the need for use to be made of the European Social Fund to improve the education and qualifications of young people, women and elderly persons.
Through the report, the Parliamentary committee encourages: (1) the Commission, member states and local authorities to promote entrepreneurship in the poorest regions through an integrated system of economic and social incentives for investors; (2) member states to - promote entrepreneurship in schools and support training schemes for future entrepreneurs, aimed particularly at young people, women and the elderly; - conclude public-private partnerships as an effective means of involving new private capital in the funding of regional development projects, and propose drawing up simple and transparent procedures for concluding such partnerships; - simplify procedures for allocating funding, to make them more transparent and efficient, and guarantee that aid is delivered swiftly to final beneficiaries. (gb)