Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-15-Speech-2-096"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2000-02-15"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:VOTE2
dcterms:Language	"fr"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20000215.5.2-096"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-02-15-Speech-2-0972
lpv:speaker	lp:Gérard Caudron2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Delegation to the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-06--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Parti socialiste (1999-07-20--2002-07-09)3 member; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-08--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member_of_the_bureau; PES (1999-07-20--2002-01-16)3
lpv:translated text	"Mrs McCarthy, ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased that the URBAN Community Initiative is being continued as this aims to support the social and economic conversion of cities and neighbourhoods in crisis, all with a view to achieving sustainable urban development. With some 80% of the population of Europe living in an urban area, cities are at the forefront of economic, social and cultural change in Europe. At the same time, the social and economic problems facing European society are more pronounced in urban areas. Many European cities are divided into neighbourhoods characterised by high-added-value activities and high-income residents and other districts characterised by low incomes, high unemployment, substandard and overcrowded housing and high levels of welfare dependency. The concentration of economic and social problems in certain urban areas calls for targeted intervention taking full account of the complexity of the problems involved. This is why the European Parliament successfully called for the URBAN Community Initiative or CIP to be extended during the reform of the Structural Funds. The success of URBAN during the 1994-1999 programming period is indisputable. The results are clear in terms of the improvement of the quality of life in the target areas. This CIP has encouraged the development of best practice models in the economic, social and environmental sectors. It has also had the distinction of strengthening the role of local authorities, the non-governmental sector and local communities and of supporting new partnership approaches to urban regeneration. The new initiative will continue to pursue these goals by reinforcing them, while particularly promoting equal opportunities between men and women and integrating socially marginalised and disadvantaged groups. We can therefore welcome its adoption. We must, however, admit that in financial terms we cannot proclaim a victory! The total appropriation allocated is not up to the challenge. The amount for the 1994-1999 period was EUR 900 million and will be EUR 700 million for the 2000-2006 period. This represents a drop of 30%! This reduction in funding has led to a reduction in the number of programmes in the new URBAN initiative. The chosen threshold of 50 projects seems too low. It needs to be increased to reflect regional and local factors whilst maintaining financial awards to the Member States. In view of this concentration on a limited number of projects, the publication and dissemination of the results of the new URBAN Community Initiative will perhaps be particularly important to achieve a multiplier effect."@en1

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