Malmö, 24/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - The 2007-2013 financing period for the European Union cohesion policy will soon be coming to an end, giving rise to an important debate on the future of this policy. David Sweet, who is policy adviser to the director general of DG Regional Policy at the European Commission, said, when speaking to the 24th session of the General Assembly of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) (EUROPE 9888), that cohesion policy should be applied to all regions of the EU as there are still areas of poverty in all member states. He also took a stance against the distinction between rural and urban areas.
“An integrated, transversal and horizontal” approach is needed between Europe, the territories and European citizens, said Louis Le Pensec, CEMR Vice-President and president of the French association of the CEMR. There are three requirements when it comes to cohesion policy: (1) cohesion of the territories in a context of sustainable development without domination or administrative or cultural hierarchy; (2) the safeguard and promotion of public services with access for all; and (3) no citizens should have the feeling, whatever their place of residence, that that place is not a part of Europe. “Local representatives are essential players in the governance of cohesion policy” because they are the basic level closest to the citizens, the CEMR vice-president says. Rural and urban areas are becoming increasingly interwoven, which has given rise to the creation of the word “rurbanisation” in France. Mr Le Pensec would like economic competitiveness not to be the only criteria for accession to Community funding.
A distinction between urban and rural “is not always practical for finding effective solutions”, stresses Paul Bevan, General Secretary of Eurocities. He would prefer cohesion policy to be based on “functional areas” defined by economic rather than administrative boundaries. In the current context, it needs a “local, integrated approach with multilevel governance”. (E.M./transl.jl)