By Martin Banks - 16th February 2012
European solidarity as a driving force behind the development of Europe’s territories
Laszlo Andor
EU commissioner Laszlo Andor says the economic crisis gripping some member states is putting "EU solidarity to the test".
His comments come at a time when some have questioned the long-term viability of the single currency and the 'European project' itself.
Efforts by the EU and others to impose hugely unpopular austerity measures in Greece have also resulted in widespread unrest.
The EU is also currently considering the shape and size of the post-2013 budget with many challenging the amount allocated to cohesion policy, or regional funding, some of which goes to some of Europe's poorest regions.
Addressing the future of EU cohesion policy, Andor said this was an "important tool" for achieving the EU 2020 goals for jobs and growth as well as other objectives relating to economic and social cohesion.
He said there also needs to be "a link between cohesion policy and the economic governance of the EU to ensure that funds rest on a healthy economic basis".
Andor, the commissioner for employment, social affairs and inclusion, was speaking at a seminar on "European solidarity as a driving force behind the development of Europe’s territories".
The event, organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and held at the Committee of the Regions, included several senior regional politicians.
Jean-Yves Le Drian, president of the CPMR and also of the Brittany region in France, said that cohesion policy had "created a political Europe and made it grow bigger and stronger".
However, Le Drian added, "We need to create a climate of confidence and solidarity to start recovering growth again."
Further comment came from Walter Deffaa, the new DG of the commission's regional directorate, who called for "more flexibility" in EU programmes and greater simplification "to make access to funding easier".
Meanwhile, Andor has welcomed the signing of a new 'social partner agreement' to lay down specific rules for working time on passenger or cargo transport ships in inland waterways across the EU.
He stressed the importance of the inland waterway transport sector which, he said, plays an "essential role in the transport of goods in Europe".
