Brussels, 26/11/2007 (Agence Europe) -The informal meeting of the EU ministers for regional and territorial development, which was held in Ponta Delgada (Azores) (EUROPE 9548) and devoted to the issue of territorial cohesion, concluded with the adoption of the first action programme on the completion of the territorial agenda of the EU (2007-2011), as defined last May in Leipzig (EUROPE 9434). The EU27 unanimously acknowledged the fact that the cohesion policy of the EU is the expression of European solidarity as well as a central element of European integration. Lastly, they joined Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner in welcoming the fact that the new Lisbon Treaty, which is due to be signed on 13 December, has brought in territorial cohesion as the third component of regional policy, alongside its social and economic dimensions.
This first programme proposes 15 actions to be carried out over the period 2007-2011; in a press release, the Commission lays emphasis on the following measures: (1) to bring influence to bear on key EU dossiers and include the territorial and urban components in the sectoral policies of the Union; (2) to strengthen multi-level governance at EU and member state level, based on a shared partnership between European, national, regional and local actors; (3) to develop knowledge on territorial development at EU-level (territorial state, trends, policy impact on the member states). One of the actions to be carried out under the cohesion policy over the period 2007-2013, the ESPON (European Spatial Planning Observation Network), is specifically intended to build European scientific knowledge in the field of territorial development, the Commission adds.
On the Green Paper on territorial cohesion, “which is part of the general reflection on territorial cohesion” and is to be adopted by the Commission in September 2008, Danuta Hübner explained to the ministers why a Green Paper of this kind is required. Meeting in Leipzig, the member states, together with the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions, called upon the Commission to present a report on territorial cohesion in 2008. The Commission opted for a Green Paper, taking the view that this was the “most appropriate instrument for the launch of a broad public consultation to allow us to reach political conclusions very quickly”. This Green Paper, which is of enormous political importance, enjoys the support of President Barroso and has been included in the 2008 working programme of the Commission. It will present an update of territorial disparities at local, regional and national levels, and elements specific to a particular area. It will define territorial cohesion and determine the use that can be made of this at European and member state level, on the basis of a questionnaire and analysis of the National Strategic Reference Frameworks (NSRF) and of their operational programmes, Ms Hübner added. “Europe is a continent of 27 member states, but it is also a collection of specific territories which, on the one hand, benefit from European integration and, on the other, have great potential”, she told a small group of journalists two days before the Azores informal Council. She went on to add that “territorial Europe is under construction”.
The results of all these consultations will be on the table of the forthcoming Slovenian presidency of the EU, which has already announced that it will carry out exchanges of views on the future of the cohesion policy, and that the French presidency of the EU will deal with the subject at ministerial level, the Portuguese presidency of the EU indicates in its conclusions.
Michael Schneider (EPP, Germany), rapporteur for the Committee of the Regions on the fourth cohesion report, stressed the importance of looking at this progress “as inclusively as possible”. He pledged that the Committee would work hand-in-hand with the next two presidencies of the EU - Slovenia and France - to ensure that the common objectives of the EU on territorial cohesion would be made reality with the participation of the local and regional authorities. Sir Albert Bore (PES, United Kingdom), president of the committee on territorial cohesion of the Committee of the Regions, stressed the importance “of a policy based on solidarity between the member states and the regions as an essential pillar of European integration”. He also highlighted the role of the local and regional partnership in implementing this, to encourage better governance and growing commitment on the part of the citizens.
Olivier Derruine (Workers' Group, Belgium), rapporteur for the European Economic and Social Committee on the fourth cohesion report, tackled four questions on territorial cohesion: available resources, the proposals concerning the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, the Solidarity Fund and the new Democratic Fund. He also spoke of the “Committee's support for reinforced cooperation in the European town planning policy, support which it expressed as long ago as 1995”. (G. B.)