By Martha Moss - 12th November 2010
The EU must mobilise every level of government if it is to meet the targets envisaged in its 2020 strategy, according to one regional official at the European commission.
Dirk Ahner, the director general of DG Regio, was among the speakers at the Assembly of European Regions' (AER) general assembly on Thursday.
He told delegates that the recently-released fifth cohesion report, which sets a blueprint for the future of the policy, recognises that Europe's cohesion policy "has a vital role to play in EU 2020".
Cohesion policy in the post-2013 budgetary period must be better aligned with the related transport and energy portfolio, he said. "The main challenge for cohesion policy post-2013 is ensuring it's best targeted to achieve the EU 2020 objectives," he said.
"We need a system that ensures the delivery of common objectives."
Ahner added that the success of cohesion policy and EU 2020 "largely depends on ensuring that all partners are on board".
"Our system of multilevel governance should help to mobilise local and regional actors, who have a key role to play," he said.
"We have to ensure that cohesion policy is fully aligned with EU 2020. Cohesion policy should become a main instrument through which the EU addresses problems at various governmental levels.
"The policy is often criticised for its complex delivery system. There is a lot of room for further improvement."
Cohesion policy and EU 2020
The fifth cohesion report said that cohesion policy post-2013 was an important tool in meeting the objectives of the EU 2020 strategy for economic growth, which contains ambitious targets on R&D investment, job creation and poverty reduction, among others.
It also calls for the conditions governing the use of the funds to be strengthened, and for incentives to be introduced to ensure the money is used in the most effective way.
Presenting the report, EU regional policy commissioner Johannes Hahn, said the report highlighted the successes of cohesion policy in "reducing economic differences and promoting environmental and social development".
"To ensure more value for money, we need to make the policy even more effective, in delivering concrete and measurable results," said the commissioner. "We need to spend more intelligently, focus on the EU's top priorities and add visible value to what national and regional authorities are already doing.
"The findings from this report and the consultation to follow will help us prepare a cohesion policy that is better adapted to the economic situation of today."
László Andor, EU commissioner for employment and social affairs, said, "Cohesion policy has played a crucial role in dealing with the economic crisis and the European social fund has, in particular, helped to cushion the impact of the crisis on workers and small businesses."
He added, "More than ever before, the ESF must be put at the service of a true European employment initiative, helping people find a job fast. Cohesion policy will be instrumental in achieving the EU's employment and social targets as part of the new Europe 2020 strategy".
Mixed reaction from MEPs
MEPs on parliament's regional development committee also welcomed the report, with chair Danuta Hübner saying, "It shows cohesion as a modern and effective policy, already contributing to the innovative and sustainable growth of the entire EU."
Lambert van Nistelrooij, the EPP group coordinator in the committee, was particularly pleased with commission plans to translate EU 2020 objectives into specific investment targets.
"In order to enhance the EU 2020 governance process, the EPP group commends the commission's approach and recalls its proposal already put forward to the three EU institutions to establish the territorial pact of local and regional authorities in the Europe 2020 strategy," he said.
However, parliament's Greens claimed the commission approach had been "marred by obsession with GDP growth".
Greens MEP Elisabeth Schroedter said her group welcomed the recognition of the need to account for factors - including social and environmental ones - to "get a true overview of the wellbeing of European regions".
"Unfortunately, the commission fails to draw the logical conclusion that this means abandoning GDP as the only indicator of progress in regional development," she added. "The Greens believe it is necessary to introduce additional indicators, including social and environmental indicators, in order to truly measure progress in the regions."
Calling for "a change of direction for EU cohesion policy", she said the funds "should be used to address the real challenges faced by Europe's regions, such as climate change, social exclusion and demographic development".
