Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-05-21-Speech-1-170"
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"en.20070521.20.1-170"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, the Committee on Regional Development has recently tabled a couple of important own-initiative reports. Today, we are to debate the document drawn up by Mrs Pleguezuelos Aguilar. I should like to take this opportunity to thank her publicly for her work.
We have already talked a great deal about cohesion within our community. Essentially, cohesion means levelling out the differences between the richest and the poorest regions. Implementation of this policy is always linked to solidarity within the Union. This should not be forgotten, bearing also in mind that under the current Financial Perspective EUR 310 billion is allocated to regional policy. That equates to almost 36% of the Union’s expenditure. It is our taxpayers’ money and must be used as sensibly as possible.
It is therefore worth emphasising the usefulness of creating an integrated structural policy, linking the effects of actions undertaken in the framework of the structural funds and the Cohesion Fund with the other areas of Union policy. In his address to the House, the Commissioner referred to scientific research and to the Seventh Framework Programme. Full cooperation between the Union’s institutions, Member States and regional authorities must be ensured. This involves recognising the particular circumstances of individual regions, and taking account of both economically backward areas and also of areas with difficult geographical or social conditions.
What is at issue is not giving equal shares to all, but promoting equality of opportunity for all, notably as regards access to education, healthcare, and environmental protection. Such equality must also apply to the disabled.
It is worth emphasising the achievement of harmonised development of urban areas, where some 80% of the Union’s inhabitants reside. Appropriate action in rural areas is also required, to ensure that living conditions in the latter are not significantly different from those in the cities.
In addition, the House must keep in mind the need to take account of issues pertaining to the family and family policy in the broader Union action programme.
I am glad we recognise the virtues of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation. A levelling-out policy based on solidarity is called for, together with a sustainable development policy also based on solidarity.
We also have a practical question to pose: what is the best indicator with which to assess cohesion? It is right not to restrict ourselves exclusively to
GDP.
I am quite sure that this report will do much more than simply stimulate an interesting debate. It will also make it possible to draw on experience to date and on best practice relating to Europe’s actual economic, social, territorial and cultural cohesion. We deserve as much."@en1
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