«Cooperation across borders vital for a competitive Europe», Danuta Hübner tells forum in Stockholm

European regions across national borders need to pool their resources, ideas and experience to help the European economy grow, become more competitive and to create quality jobs for their citizens, Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner said today in Sweden. Addressing the INTERREG Forum in Stockholm, Commissioner Hübner highlighted the benefits territorial co-operation brings to border regions, in particular those lagging behind in economic development. The Commissioner asked participating authorities to make all necessary preparations for the new Cohesion Policy to be ready to start on time, at the beginning of 2007.

Commissioner Hübner re-iterated her confidence that borders are no longer obstacles; on the contrary, border regions now offer new opportunities, helping communities make the best out of their resources and ideas, coordinating their actions and creating something new together. «the aim of cross-border co-operation initiatives is to provide a catalyst that enables people on the border to work together to make the region attractive both for job creation and to live in»,she noted.

As to the immediate future, she pointed out that the Commission, together with the European Parliament and the Council, will in the coming weeks seek to finalise the new rules for the Cohesion Policy 2007-2013. Commissioner Hübner highlighted the necessity of concluding as soon as possible the work on the Regulatory framework, as well as on the Strategic Guidelines for the programming at European, national, and regional level. She noted that the Commission is willing to do everything all possible to get the frameworks and most of the decisions on the next generation of programmes ready by the end of this year.

The emphasis of all new programmes should be on boosting the competitiveness of the regions through entrepreneurship and innovation, access to information, communication and transport networks. They should also promote good working conditions for small enterprises to create employment, and good living conditions for the inhabitants of the border regions.

Background

Interreg III is a Community Initiative co-financed by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) for the period 2000-2006. There are now three strands - (a) cross-border, (b) transnational and (c) inter-regional co-operation:

Cross-border co-operation between adjacent regions aims at developing cross-border social and economic centres through common development strategies.

Transnational co-operation involving national, regional and local authorities aims at promoting better integration within the Union through the constitution of large groups of European regions.

Interregional co-operation aims at improving the effectiveness of regional development policies and instruments through large-scale information exchange and sharing of experience (networks).

In the next programming period 2007-2013, further emphasis is put on «European Territorial Co-operation» which becomes one of the three objectives of the new Cohesion policy, the other two being «Convergence» and «Regional Competitiveness and Employment». Further to the regulations which will be issued on the new Cohesion policy there will also be a new regulation establishing a European Grouping of Cross-border Co-operation (EGCC) to overcome obstacles hindering co-operation across national borders.

In July 2005, the Commission adopted a Communication on the future Community Strategic Guidelines on Cohesion Policy. They are the main instrument to ensure that cohesion policy serves the EU’s ambition to become a) a more attractive place to invest and work in; b) an area of high growth, competitiveness and innovation; c) a place of full employment and higher productivity with more and better jobs.

The Guidelines set out a framework for new programmes which will be supported by the ERDF, the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund. The draft will be adopted in final form once the relevant legislative texts have been agreed by the European Parliament and the Council.

These Guidelines serve as the broad framework for the preparations of the national strategic reference frameworks for each Member State, which will form the basis of the national and regional operational programmes. The challenge for the future will be the level of contribution of Regional Policy to growth and jobs as operational programmes will have to connect to the Lisbon agenda. Further information on Cohesion Policy in support of growth and jobs:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/

IP/06/184

Brussels, 17 February 2006

Source : http://europa.eu.int/