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Position of the State of Styria- Austria on EU Regional Policy 2014 to 2020
03.06.2010, 17:17
(Unanimous Decision by the Regional Government on 3rd May 2010)
1. - The position of the state of Styria is on the basis of the ruling by the Landeshauptleutekonferenz (conference of state governors) dated 27.11.2009 bout a mutual state response to the "cornerstone for the reform of EU cohesion policy 2014+". It forms the basis for future considerations and suggestions from Styria's point of view.
2. - Cohesion policy is one of the most important tools for the objective of promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion. To protect the subsidiarity principle and in the sense of a "place-based policy", as mentioned in the Barca Report, the Austrian federal states and, consequently, Styria as NUTS II level regions are fundamental creators and implementers of the policies mentioned in the EU 2020 Working Document and in the presented considerations concerning cohesion policy. Therefore, in the fist instance, the important role of the regions to develop the endogenous potentials in the context must be clarified in all EU documents relating to cohesion policy and future EU strategies.
3. - The current fundamental direction of the cohesion and structural funds policy on a European level should continue, taking into consideration the new challenges; the idea of renationalisation is rejected. Within the EU-27, it should continue to be possible to support regions, which have certain deficits in the national comparison. For this reason, Styria is calling for further financial support by the EU for the period of 2010-2020. Concentration of funds to convergence regions is refused.
4. - The successfully initiated development of the endogenous potential (lacking in infrastructure) of rural areas of Styria should continue through the provision of suitable funding schemes. The meeting of demographic change challenges, ensuring efficient access to public services, the vital services and infrastructures and the creation of workplaces and income opportunities, particularly in the rural area, should be given even more consideration in the future.
5. - The approach of integrated, regional development strategies, which are based on the principles of sustainable development, particularly in consideration of functional regions (city and surrounding area relationships, inter-municipal cooperations), should be given appropriate consideration. The further development and reinforcement of appropriate efficient regional structures and the implementation of key regional play a central role in this.
6. - The concentration in key areas to increase competitiveness and innovation is a fundamental prerequisite for effective and targeted use of scarce public resources. On behalf of the state of Styria, a suggestion is being made to allocate two thirds of the funding from the European regional programmes (RWB) from 2014 to measures for the purposes of new innovation strategies (in particular, research and development, renewable energies, climate change and human capital).
7. - The ecological concerns of the economy, which are described as a fundamental objective for the future economy in the Europe 2020 strategy, should be understood as sustainable and corporate efforts to ensure more efficient use of resources and productivity increases. However, endangering the competition within the European industry and, thus, the production site of Europe in a global environment must be avoided.
8. - European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) is a fundamental tool to realize European integration. Due to the geographical proximity of Styria to the new member states and candidate countries, the continuation of this cross-boundary funding framework is required. For better implementation, it is necessary to incorporate the entire territory (NUTS II).
9. - The planning, administration and handling of the programmes should be sustainably simplified. In doing so, increased consideration should be given to the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity (especially in the case of EU programmes with smaller allocations) and better share of responsibilities between the European, national and regional players should be sought.
10. - In order to ensure that regional political objectives are not counteracted by other EU policies, Styria request better coordination between these. For example, as part of the EU competition rules, excessive differences of permissible state aid limits between the neighboring regions should be avoided.