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CoR rapporteur says EU 2020 needs to be linked to cohesion policy
18.12.2009, 13:35
The lack of reference to cohesion policy in the European Commission's recently published consultation document on the EU 2020 agenda is 'alarming', according to Michael Schneider (DE/EPP), Chairman of the Commission for territorial cohesion policy in the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and rapporteur on the future of cohesion policy.
On the invitation of Michael Schneider, almost 100 cohesion policy experts from EU institutions, regional and local authorities and their representative associations gathered in the Committee of the Regions today to discuss the future of the 'competitiveness and employment' objective in EU cohesion policy programming after 2013. In the EU's current budgetary framework, this objective, also called 'objective 2', helps regions to anticipate and promote economic change by co-funding projects in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship, environmental protection and human resources. Today's meeting was part of a series of consultations to prepare the CoR's outlook opinion on the future of cohesion policy that Schneider, European Affairs State Secretary of the German Land of Saxony-Anhalt, is drafting as CoR rapporteur.
Speaking at the meeting, Michael Schneider said: "EU cohesion policy has thus far made an important contribution to the implementation of the Lisbon strategy on the ground. This is why it has to be adequately taken into account also in the development of the new EU 2020 strategy. Cohesion policy can help to link this strategy with Europe's local and regional authorities."
Lambert van Nistelrooij (NL/EPP), member of the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development, stated: "The Lisbon Treaty has just introduced territorial cohesion as a fundamental EU objective, and in our discussions on future EU policies we have to recognise the important role of Europe's regions and cities. Combining an excellency-driven, EU-level approach with regional expertise, the current 'competitiveness objective' is a powerful tool in adapting Europe to the challenges of the 21st century. It supports our regions and towns in strengthening their innovation and research capacities in future-oriented areas, such as information and communication technologies or nanotechnology."
Source: www.cor.eu