Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-04-12-Speech-2-351"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20050412.32.2-351"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the recent enlargement probably represents the greatest challenge that the EU has ever faced. What is needed is vision, leadership and community spirit so that we can best meet the needs and address the consequences of the enlargement.
The challenges of completing the internal market and European economic and monetary union were met with just such a firm response, when funding for the Structural Funds was doubled. If we are to meet the challenge of a viable enlarged Europe, regional development policy must once again take centre stage.
It is crucial that the policy of economic and social cohesion be strengthened and reinvigorated, in order to combat the enormous regional imbalances following the accession of many poorer regions of the new Member States, and to continue to address the problem that various regions in the old Member States still lag behind.
The latter aspect cannot be underestimated, particularly given that the regional imbalances might increase in the old EU of 15 Member States as a result of the dynamics created by the enlargement. This is especially true of relations between outlying and central regions; in other words, while countries such as Portugal and Spain became more peripheral, and the central countries gained extra centrality. In fact, it is estimated that, as far as the EU of the 15 is concerned, the wealthier, more central countries have benefited most from the enlargement, and countries such as Portugal, Spain and Greece are probably those that have benefited least, or have in fact lost out.
I therefore return to the issues raised in the oral question, as I do not feel that the Commission has provided adequate responses. Has the Commission calculated the cost-benefit ratio for each EU Member State? If so, does the Commission not think that ways should be found of compensating countries in which the costs clearly exceed the benefits?"@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples