Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-02-Speech-2-036"
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"en.20030902.1.2-036"2
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"Mr President, we are currently dealing with the challenge of adapting cohesion policy and Structural Funds to an enlarged Union of 25 members in 2004 and 27 members by 2007. The Commission’s own assessment of the increased disparities within an enlarged Union suggests these will be twice what they are at present.
In mid-July, shortly after the end of our parliamentary year, summaries of research undertaken under the guidance of André Sapir, an academic, appeared in the press. President Prodi circulated the research to the rest of the Commission. In their work, Mr Sapir and a team of experts openly queried the appropriateness of the current Community budget spending structure, notably as regards the CAP and the Structural Funds.
Commissioner, I do not wish to cast doubt on the usefulness of research of this nature. I realise it can prove very useful and lead to improvements. I would, however, like to query the method adopted on this occasion. I am particularly unhappy about the timing. This is because of the resulting uncertainty and the fear concerning the future of the cohesion policy and Community support for the most disadvantaged regions.
Enlargement is only eight months away. Regions set to exceed the crucial threshold of 75% of Community GDP as a result of the statistical factor need to know what provision the Commission intends to make for them. The aim of full employment and economic growth must apply in particular to the current Objective 1 regions. That is where growth is slowest and unemployment highest, Commissioner.
I therefore ask you to confirm in the House that concentration will remain a valid principle in the future. Structural aid would then continue to be channelled mainly to the most disadvantaged regions of Europe. As we understand it, cohesion is first and foremost territorial cohesion. Its purpose is to ensure that the most backward regions can also benefit from the effects of the single market."@en1
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