Brussels, 01/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - What cohesion policy does Europe need for the 21st century? This was the thread running through the two days of reflections of the participants in the 4th European Forum on Cohesion which attempted to improve the results of this policy by adding value (see EUROPE 9511). During the forum, all the participants acknowledged that the cohesion policy is the concrete demonstration of European solidarity, and that it should remain a matter for all. The added value of this policy is that it draws its inspiration from the European values of justice, solidarity and mutual aid. It is therefore seen as more than just a policy to redistribute revenue. The close link between the cohesion policy and the Lisbon strategy and also the policy's ability to adapt to modern times and future challenges (climate, globalisation, demographics and migration, among others) were also highlighted by participants in the Forum.
Danuta Hübner: we must ensure that there is consistency between actions designed to promote competitiveness and those designed to promote territoriality
At the end of the two days of reflections which she had chaired, European Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner sent out several messages on the future of the cohesion policy: “(1) the recovery of less favoured regions depends on a joint effort in order to move forward in an increasingly globalised world; (2) the cohesion policy must present the qualitative aspects of growth and sustainability; (3) the policy should function at European level to increase regional effectiveness for better governance”. Ms Hübner dwelled on the territorial aspect of cohesion. “We hope that territorial cohesion will become an element of the Treaty alongside economic and social cohesion”, she commented, posing the question of new applications for territorial cohesion. “We view territorial cohesion too much from the geographical angle. We must separate ourselves from this fragmented approach”, the commissioner said, adding that we must “ensure that there is consistency between actions designed to promote competitiveness and those designed to promote territoriality, and reflect on strategies for rural areas”.
José Socrates: the added value of the cohesion policy is that it is inspired by the values of justice, solidarity and mutual aid
Starting from the principle that policies are always measured in terms of their results, Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates declared: “If there is a policy which can be proud of its results, it is the cohesion policy, which has enabled Portugal, Spain and Greece to make progress”. However, the president of the European Council continued: “This policy is more than a policy to redistribute revenues. It concerns the best of Europe, is inspired by the values of justice, solidarity and mutual aid, it is based on the idea that nobody can be cast aside, and enables access to the goods and services of modern society. It is a policy which produces results, a generous policy”. On the future of the cohesion policy, Mr Socrates indicated that the cohesion policy must: (1) modernise and improve to remain anchored in the present time and respond to future challenges; (2) align with the objectives of the Lisbon strategy (particularly in the areas of new technologies and innovation) and import them into less developed regions; (3) keep in mind the need for increased selectivity of projects and only retain the best ones. “This is why the Portuguese national strategic reference framework is oriented towards selectivity”, the prime minister said, pointing out that “economic growth and cohesion feed into each other and share the same objectives (…) We want more of an internal market because that means more growth and cohesion”. In conclusion, Mr Socrates pointed out that the aim of the cohesion policy is to develop the least favoured regions. “Whatever the type of modernisation, the objective remains the same: a European model where everyone participates in development. This is what Europe wants: the cohesion policy exists because there are European values to be achieved. The cohesion policy is one of the priorities of our presidency. We want to construct a cohesion policy which is up to the task of facing the future challenges of Europe”, he concluded.
Nikolaus van der Pas: there is a very close link between the cohesion policy and the Lisbon strategy
Presenting the conclusions of the session dedicated to “new challenges for the EU and its regions”, the director general of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities at the European Commission, Nikolaus van der Pas, explained that those who spoke stressed: - the imperative need for solidarity in the cohesion policy in an enlarged EU; - its social aspects; - the need to concentrate on less favoured regions with diversified needs; - the need to respond to the challenges of demographics and migration. Another thing which had “struck” Mr van der Pas was the highlighting of the “very close” link between the cohesion policy and the Lisbon strategy. “This concept was mentioned as a political commitment on the part of ministers who were speaking on behalf of their country”, the director general said. The regions must also become more competitive, have access to a more highly qualified workforce and invest in research. The regional policy should be only about the redistribution of revenues, it should aim “higher”, Nikolaus van der Pas continued. Finally, there is a need for multi-level governance to overcome the paradox of regional policy. In conclusion, Mr van der Pas underlined the added value of the cohesion policy: “we need increased efficiency, less bureaucracy and increased simplification (…) There is no contradiction between European values and the value of Europe: the cohesion policy is the concrete expression of this statement”.
Dirk Ahner: the cohesion policy should be the integration policy par excellence
Along the same lines, for the session on the theme of “Responding to Challenges: Regions as Actors of Growth and Competitiveness”, Dirk Ahner, the director general of DG Regional Policy at the European Commission, pointed out that the cohesion policy represented 35% of the average European budget. This is why it has an impact on the ground, he said, concluding that in the future this policy would assume increasing importance given the challenges to be met (climate, competitiveness, etc). We will need more and more public interventions for increased solidarity. “Cohesion can only be realised via an improvement in competitiveness and investment in technologies”, Mr Ahner continued, adding: “The cohesion policy is a structural policy based on a joint vision of the future. It should be the integration policy par excellence”.
Claudio Martini: the regions are prepared to participate in the European project, including financially
In his contribution to this session, the president of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CRPM), Claudio Martini, stated that “although recognition of the regional level in the draft Treaty is a step forward, the extent to which the regions are involved in the design and delivery of policies still varies widely and remains globally insufficient”. In President Martini's view, the regions are the reservoirs of growth which must be stimulated. “We have heard the message. In the future it will no longer be a case of going to the EU authorities and seeking community funding as something 'owing' to us. On the contrary, we are today willing to participate fully in the European project, including financially by co-financing projects, but on one condition: that we are involved in defining the shared objectives and the means to be put in place”. In Claudio Martini's view, Europe should “choose to defend its founding values by promoting them on a global scale”. (gb)