Ref. :  000027794
Date :  2007-10-12
Language :  English
Home Page / The whole website
fr / es / de / po / en

EU regional policy stakeholders debate global economic challenges

Regional policy responses to the challenges of globalisation, climate change and population ageing were debated at the closing session of the European Week of Regions and Cities Open Days 2007, on 11 October. Speakers included Nobel Prize winner A. Michael Spence, EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering, Portuguese State Secretary for Regional Development Rui Nuno Baleiras, Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner and Committee of the Regions President Michel Delabarre.


The OPEN DAYS 2007 event, organised by the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission, brought together nearly 5,000 participants from a record 212 regions and cities in 33 European countries. It showcased EU regional policy programmes that will make about € 500 billion in private and public funding between 2007 and 2013. Its closing session was chaired by EP Regional Development Committee Chairman Gerardo Galeote (EPP-ED, ES).

EU regional policy and global competitiveness

The free movement of goods, people, capital and services is vital to boosting competitiveness within Europe and worldwide, said Professor A. Michael Spence, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize for economics. But whilst the migration of people and jobs across Europe is necessary for its growth and integration into the global economy, it does lead to inequalities that governments and international bodies must manage.

Regional policy can help, by building equality of opportunity through transfers of resources and governance know-how to less well-off regions. "People accept that some inequality of outcomes will exist, provided that there is reasonable equality of opportunity", he said.

Infrastructure investment or unmanageable migration?

"Public investment in infrastructure increases both the return on private investment and job creation", he continued, adding that regional investments are also needed to boost local economic productivity, failing which migration could become unmanageable, and urbanization excessively rapid.

Climate change

"Global warming is a major challenge to global governance" said Professor Spence, adding that from the point of view of greenhouse gas mitigation in the next 25 years, the key players are the EU, North America, Japan, China and Russia.

Population ageing

Provided pension systems are "lined up with reality", population ageing "need not impair growth", he said, adding that in his view advocating migration is a "bad solution" to this problem.

Knowledge is a global public good

"Governance really matters" said Professor Spence, noting that investing in education as a driver for growth "makes sense in Europe" and adding that EU know-how in the fields of governance, incentives and conditionality could prove useful in India and China.

Solidarity

European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering stressed the need for EU-wide solidarity - "funding is one thing, but what is decisive is what people do with it", he said. Regional policy funding must be as well spent in newer Member States as it had been in Spain and Portugal, even if this entailed admitting that some regions do not need so much money now as they did in the past, he said.

Mr Pöttering also noted the need for solidarity in other fields, e.g. with Poland on energy policy, and stressed that the fate of solidarity depends on all Member States signing up to the Reform Treaty, which would make the EP a full partner in framing co-decision legislation with the Council.

Partnership

Cohesion policy tasks must be shared across national, regional and local levels, said Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner, because economic success requires co-operation and regional development strategies cannot be defined in capitals alone. Global change is accelerating, and regions and cities should seek a niche in world markets, rather than wait until globalisation "knocks on the door". Partnerships should cut across traditional boundaries to build a growing web of networks and clusters that mobilise unexploited potential, she said.

The shift in regional policy focus from building infrastructure to building competitiveness was also noted earlier in the debate by Portugal's Secretary of State Rui Nuno Baleiras, representing the Council of Ministers, who stressed the need for local and regional authorities not only to attract firms, but to service them faster and more efficiently, so as to reduce their operating costs.

States need to engage with regions

"Just because there is a strong relationship between the EU and its regions, that does not exonerate Member States from engaging properly with the regions - we all have to pull together in the same direction", said Committee of the Regions President Michel Delebarre, who on 8 October had noted that "local and regional authorities are getting a little impatient at the inaction of their public partners, particularly national authorities who have yet to get them involved in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy" for growth and jobs.

Earlier in the closing session debate, Mr Delebarre identified three priorities for regions and cities: the need to create jobs, attract more resources, and build better infrastructure to attract investment. He also called for regional policy to be mainstreamed into other EU policies, and said he wanted to see the next OPEN DAYS (6-9 October 2009) widen its remit to cover energy and healthcare.



Committee on Regional Development - Gerardo GALEOTE (EPP-ED, ES)

Contact: Andrew Boreham, Press Service, Adresse e-mail : region-press@europarl.europa.eu, Tél. in Bruxelles: (32-2) 28 42319 (BXL)


Rate this content
 
 
 
Average of 73 ratings 
Rating 2.18 / 4 MoyenMoyenMoyenMoyen
Same author:
 flecheEuropean Parliament resolution of 17 May 2017 on the situation in Hungary
 flecheConflict minerals: the bloody truth behind your smartphone
 flecheGender balance: five areas for improvement
 flecheRobots and artificial intelligence: MEPs call for EU-wide liability rules
 flecheTerrorism: members to vote on new measures against foreign fighters
 flecheVAT reform: how MEPs intend to tackle the €50 billion a year fraud
 flecheAfter CETA: the EU trade agreements that are in the pipeline
 flecheRussia is no longer a strategic partner of the EU, say MEPs
 flecheParliament urges EU member states to gear up for new security challenges now
 flecheAn ocean of plastic to eradicate
 flecheEP this week: €315 billion investment plan, robots and consumer safety
 flecheArmenian genocide centenary: MEPs urge Turkey and Armenia to normalize relations
 flecheAlbania and Bosnia & Herzegovina: political commitment is key to path towards EU
 flecheEU counter-terrorism coordinator: “Jail is a major incubator of radicalisation”
 flecheInter-religious dialogue: the way to defeat extremism
 flechePassenger Name Record and data protection talks should go hand in hand, MEPs say
 flecheEuropean Parliament backs EU-Moldova association deal
 flecheEnvironment Committee backs flexibility for EU countries to ban GMO crops
 flecheAnother record-breaking year for Erasmus
 flecheThe EU's energy dependence: facts and figures
 flecheMEPs urge EU to help 5.3 million young people find decent jobs
 flecheEuropean Parliament gives go-ahead for Lithuania to join the euro
 flecheMartin Schulz re-elected President of the European Parliament
 flecheParliament starts its new term with seven political groups
 flecheElection of new EP President, 14 Vice-Presidents and five Quaestors
 flecheConference of Presidents: the backbone of the European Parliament
 flecheData Protection: The dangers of the web
 flecheLithuania: how the euro could be gaining currency
 flecheEP committees: at the heart of European politics
 flecheResults of the 2014 European elections
 flecheForsmark: how Sweden alerted the world about the danger of the Chernobyl disaster
 fleche2014 European elections: latest projections of seats in the Parliament
 flecheOverview of Parliament and the 2014 elections
 flecheNet neutrality: Industry MEPs want stricter rules against blocking rival services
 flecheParliament maintains €3.5 billion in aid for the most deprived from 2014 to 2020
 flecheMigrants: MEPs endorse search and rescue rules to prevent further deaths at sea
 flecheThe Troika: How Europe's bailout power broker works
 flecheCentral African Republic: How can the EU help?
 flecheReport on the EU Roadmap against homophobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity
 flechePublic health MEPs to vote on final deal for tobacco products
 flecheCO2 emissions: cleaner vans by 2020
 flecheEU's long-term budget: how it all adds up
 flecheAung San Suu Kyi receives Sakharov Prize awarded in 1990
 flecheEU-China: the trade partnership worth €1 billion a day
 flecheMalala Yousafzai - winner of the Sakharov Prize 2013
 flecheEmployment MEPs approve plans to help more young people to work or training
 flecheEU drugs report: vigilance needed to tackle fast moving markets
 flecheAgriculture committee calls for EU-wide action to save bees
 flecheDid the WikiLeaks incidents create more or less democracy in the world?
 flecheCulture MEPs call on EU for more European online conversation
 flecheDevelopment aid: strong EU commitment needed to get MDGs back on track
 flecheLes films en 3D à l'épreuve de la saison d'été du cinéma américain
 flecheAnnée européenne du volontariat
 flecheMEPs mull over merits of an EU tax on financial transactions
 flecheGlobal warming: less meat = less heat
 flecheMore EU support for volunteering
 flecheG20: avoid placing too big a burden on future generations
 flecheExtending the scope of the Globalisation Adjustment Fund to respond to the crisis
 flecheUN's business and human rights envoy John Ruggie interviewed
 flecheSecurity and fundamental freedoms on the Internet
 flecheWater – 71% of the Earth's surface, but still scarce
 fleche"People like to participate in politics....on their computers!"
 flecheAmid economic crisis, roundtable debates 10 years of the euro
 flecheHuman rights remain key to EU-China trade relations
 flecheMEPs' diagnosis on economy ahead of Washington G20
 flecheMEPs and MPs debate CAP's future and world food security role
 flecheMEPs back new Erasmus Mundus Programme for student mobility and university exchanges
 flecheEurope struggles to influence UN human rights agenda
 flecheFuture of European cohesion policy debated with regions and cities
 flecheMember States to fulfil their ODA volumes, warn MEPs
 flecheImmigration: MEPs and national MPs reject "fortress Europe"
 flecheCan EU funds be put to use to help food crisis?
 flecheSarkozy to the European Parliament: "Europe can not be condemned to inaction"

 fleche1968-2008: 4 decades of customs union
 flecheErasmus Mundus: "be curious and don't hesitate"
 flecheAsma Jahangir : « Donner la parole à l’immense majorité qui veut vivre dans la diversité »
 flecheTrade in raw materials and commodities- MEPs concerned about supply
 flecheParliament and climate change: Carbon Capture and Storage
 flecheEuropean Parliament calls for more transparency on lobbying
 flecheUN advisor Professor Jeffrey Sachs on soaring food prices
 flecheInternational agreement cannot wait, warn climate change MEPs in Washington
 flecheMEPs to debate calls for more open WTO Wednesday
 flecheMEPs call for sharper focus on jobs and growth potential of cultural industries
 flecheBurma: EU needs "coherent strategy" ahead of military's poll
 flecheHearing told of high levels of child poverty in Europe
 flecheEuropean Parliament at 50 - images from half a century
 flecheWill Europe take in Guantánamo Bay prisoners?
 flecheLiverpool and Stavanger – European Capitals of Culture 2008
 flecheSuper Tuesday in America: can Europe learn lessons?
 flecheAre your details caught in the World Wide Web?
 flecheGrand Mufti of Syria: a single civilisation unites us all
 flecheIs immigration the cure for a declining working population?
 fleche2007 Sakharov winner Salih Mahmoud Osman warns of "atmosphere on impunity" in Darfur - Interview
 flecheEuropean Parliament approves the Charter of Fundamental Rights and urges UK and Poland to apply it
 flecheACP-EU: workshop looks at "Justice on the grass" Rwanda's victims
 flecheGlobalisation: MEPs debate the challenges and opportunities
 flecheChina committed to fighting climate change, but not yet to quantitative targets, says EP delegation
 flecheSeat distribution up for discussion in Parliament
 flecheHow different are parliamentarians from either side of the Atlantic?
 flecheEuromed Assembly in Tunis focuses on intercultural dialogue
 flecheEuropean Year of Intercultural Dialogue should focus on religion
 flecheEurope's cultural heritage only a click away?
 flecheParliament adopts priorities on legal and illegal immigration policies
 flecheHighlights: MEPs to discuss energy, immigration, rail, toys in 2nd September Plenary
 flecheEnvironment MEPs back compulsory CO2 cap on cars
 flecheNatural disasters, EU solidarity fund needed without delay and European reaction force
 flecheAs Erasmus turns 20 some MEPs share their memories
 flecheEurope's cultural heritage only a click away?
 flecheBrazil's President Lula on trade, agriculture, poverty and biofuels
 flechePortugal's EU Presidency: MEPs on their expectations
 flecheLes attentes du monde arabe à l’égard de l’Union européenne : L’espérance déçue d’une alternative aux États-Unis ?
 flecheMEPs give green light to new European Globalisation Fund
 flecheLe Parlement européen remet le Prix Sakharov 2006 à Alexandre Milinkevitch
 fleche2006 report: the drugs problem in Europe
 flecheDrugs in Europe cheaper than ever says report
 flecheDer EU-Beitritt Bulgariens und Rumäniens
 flecheThe EU must define how far it can expand with new member states
 flecheFair Trade and Development - call for the Commission to act
 flecheRapport sur le commerce équitable et le développement
 flecheL'Union européenne devrait bientôt s'exprimer d'une seule voix à l'UNESCO
 flecheEuromed: much achieved, much still to be done
 fleche Discours du Président Borrell devant la première Assemblée Parlementaire Euroméditerranéenne
 flecheSpeech by the President at the opening of the extraordinary session of the EMPA
 flecheParliament calls for a constructive WTO meeting in Hong Kong
 flecheREACH, the chemistry behind a colossal project
 flecheEl Houdaïgui, Rachid
 flecheParliament gives green light to Romania and Bulgaria
 flecheFerrero-Waldner, Benita
 flecheA clear "yes" to the Constitution
 flecheBudget 2005: MEPs urge more money for EU's key policy areas
 flecheBorell, Josep
 flecheMEPs call for EU seat on Security Council
 flecheIGC - need to move on - not a time for recriminations
 flecheCommission President Prodi unveils action plan as a result of Eurostat affair
 flecheEnlargement: EU should promote decision on Kosovo final status within two years
 flecheExternal Relations: Urgent call on both Israel and Palestinians not to declare the peace process dead
 flecheSecurity and Defence: Financing and priorities for EU foreign and security policy
 flecheUrgent call to both Israel and Palestinians not to declare the peace process dead
 flecheCommissioner Verheugen gives foretaste of monitoring reports on accession countries
 flecheEurostat: a chronology of events
 flecheEtendre Erasmus au monde entier
 flechePour une politique volontaire de lutte contre les maladies liées à la pauvreté
 flecheLe directeur général de l'OMC promet des efforts pour associer plus intensément la société civile aux négociations de Doha
 flecheSustainable development: towards a global partnership. Greens/EFA Report Accepted by the Commission
 flecheNicole Fontaine: "une Convention porteuse d'espoir pour l'avenir de l'Union"
13
SEARCH
Keywords   go
in 
Translate this page Traduire par Google Translate
Share

Share on Facebook
FACEBOOK
Partager sur Twitter
TWITTER
Share on Google+Google + Share on LinkedInLinkedIn
Partager sur MessengerMessenger Partager sur BloggerBlogger