Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-09-21-Speech-2-718"
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"en.20100921.23.2-718"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, our Europe is the symbol of the Union in its diversity: a diversity of distance, of cultures, of approaches, and also the diversity of our territories and regions.
Although the European Union is made up of completely diverse components, the objectives of territorial, economic and social cohesion must remain as the pillars of all our actions, and the Treaty of Lisbon recognises this explicitly, moreover. It is in this context, therefore, that we must pay special attention to mountain regions, islands and sparsely populated areas.
I was elected from the large South-Eastern region, which also includes islands – I have Corsica in mind – as well as Savoy and the département of Ain where a number of areas are sparsely populated, and I see from my work on the ground that we must have a clear imperative, which is to reconcile Europe with these regions.
For this to be the case, we must firstly identify the difficulties faced by these regions. I have in mind, for example, services of general interest, including social services of general interest. How do we arrange things so that we can assure all our citizens, wherever they may be, a minimum level of social protection?
We must equally develop all the potential of these regions so that they may be able to enjoy the benefits of the single market and economic development. Besides, it is very easy to see that, currently, Union policies for islands or mountain regions are not being applied in an efficient way.
On the one hand, there is a real failure to take specific local and regional circumstances into account, and on the other, a risk that these regions, in being completely overlooked, are left to their own devices, without any assistance in combating depopulation, threats to the environment or economic slowdown. It is exactly there that, with due respect for the principle of subsidiarity, Europe could bring added value.
I count myself as one of those who believe that Europe must set itself specific objectives for these regions. First of all, to review the different Union policies that have an impact on these regions in order to include a horizontal clause enabling these specific circumstances to be taken into account. I also believe that, beyond regional policy, there must be a review of the common fisheries policy, with safeguards for small-scale and local fishing, agriculture and rural development, with better targeting of small-scale production with an increase in direct aid, following which, we should apply the same procedure to transport and energy.
In conclusion, I should like to say that where there is a will, there is not necessarily a way. Ambition should not limit itself to fine words. A few months from now, we shall have a crucial opportunity that we must take advantage of, namely, the negotiations on the next financial perspective."@en1
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