Brussels, 19/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Economic and social cohesion policy as a factor of competitiveness, territorial cohesion, regional agenda and urban development charter - these are the priorities of the upcoming French EU Presidency with regard to spatial planning. Hubert Falco, French Secretary of State for Planning and Development, presented these priorities to the Committee of the Regions on Thursday 19 June at its plenary meeting in Brussels under the chairmanship of Luc Van den Brande. Under the French EU Presidency, the Committee will have two requests for opinion referred to it, the first on arrangements for implementing a territorial section within the proposed Union for the Mediterranean, and the second on the role of regional authorities with regard to integration policy and intercultural dialogue. With these two referrals, the secretary of State said that the French Presidency hopes to “illustrate the importance it attaches to cooperation with the Committee and the interest it has in its work”. “More than ever before, Europe needs to try and meet the concrete expectations of its citizens, and it is your legitimacy as locally elected representatives to ensure this is the case by relaying public expectations through your opinions”, Hubert Falco explained. It has been confirmed that the French prime minister, François Fillon, will attend the open days on 6 October this year. And the Committee of the Regions is invited to take part in the informal ministerial meeting to be held in Marseilles from 24 to 26 November.
“Spatial planning above all means allowing each and everyone to live in conditions that meet with their satisfaction. It is therefore a question of wellbeing in Europe that is at the heart of spatial planning”, the Mayor of Toulon began by saying. This amounts to allowing everyone access to training, employment, hospitals, transport networks that work well and competitive telecommunications, he said before going on to warn: “It is only if we achieve this balance, this territorial cohesion throughout European territory, that we shall make the European Union the most competitive area in the world while having contributed at the same time to a better life for all Europeans”.
As far as economic and social cohesion policy is concerned, which is a factor for Europe's competitiveness, the debate must be “as open as possible”. It will lead to the achievement of an objective rationale, Mr Falco added. Work will be based on a “forward-looking vision”. This should make it possible for decisions to be taken in full knowledge of the facts, once the negotiation time opens. “In a word, we must put budgetary reflection aside at this point in our considerations”, he said, raising the question of how the European regional policy can contribute to boosting each of the territories, each in its own way and according to its own possibilities. Territorial cohesion should become an “important if not structuring element” of cohesion policy and, more broadly, of EU action in our territories, said the secretary of State. “This means we must have a rigorous and clear vision of what territorial cohesion is”, which should mean “better account taken of the specific nature of the territories at European level”. The French Presidency will, moreover, seek to take stock of implementation of the territorial agenda action plan. It will begin work aimed at developing a common reference for a sustainable town as part of implementation of the urban development charter. It will also suggest that its partners work on the regional effects of CAP and in particular on the rural development strategy, a subject to which Mr Falco attaches special importance. Finally, on the subject of the Union for the Mediterranean, Mr Falco hopes to be actively involved in urban development and town and country planning, and work with members of the CoR on “this problem, that will involve the development of specialist networks, and on the strengthening of decentralised cooperation between authorities on both sides of the Mediterranean”.
During the debate, Olivier Bertrand (EPP, France) called for the minister's support for “all regional policies”. Jean-Louis Destans (PES, France) regretted that “neither Europe nor the public services are among the French priorities”. Guido Milana (ALDE, Italy) took the view that it would be necessary to have a European Central Bank (ECB) that is more engaged in European policies, that dialogue should be deeper and that the ECB should respond directly to European policies and not in an ad hoc manner to market fluctuations. Seamus Murray (UEN-EA, Ireland) called for time for reflection after the Irish “no” and expressed thanks for the support given to the Irish that are disappointed by such a result.
On the subject of the ECB, Hubert Falco said one could have full confidence in Jean-Claude Juncker, Eurogroup President, and in the proposals he is to make. He asked Seamus Murray to “admit” that the gap has been widened by the complicated nature of European policies and the lack of perception on the part of the public. Perhaps, he said, they should be the ones on the ground to get technicalities across and explain things better. Hubert Falco went on to conclude by saying he felt one should respect the Irish decision. He added that it was up to the regional representatives to find a solution to prevent crisis. One should continue with ratification and await the results of the European Council, he concluded. (G.B./transl.jl)