By Martin Banks - 12th May 2009
Our regions do not go to Europe begging for funds
Claudio Martini
Delegates attending a Brussels conference have been told that global regional groupings, such as the EU, must be strengthened.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Claudio Martini, of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), said, "In order to form the basis for successful globalisation we must strengthen the world's major 'regional' groupings and increase the influence of the regions in these groupings at global level.
"This needs to be accompanied by policies for territorial equity and cohesion.”
As well as the EU, such groupings, he said, include Mercosur, an organisation representing South American regions, and UEMOA, the west African economic and monetary union.
His comments came at a 'regional governance' conference, held at the commission's Charlemagne building, which brought together representatives from governments and more than 1,000 regions in Europe, Africa, Russia, China and South America.
During the last 20 years in Europe, Martini said the "progressive" implementation of a regional policy has helped, step by step, to "build a true partnership" between the regions and the EU.
“Our regions do not go to Europe begging for funds, far from it,” said Martini, who is also president of Tuscany region.
"On the contrary, they define, build and implement priorities, programmes, and actions which contribute to the development of their territory, for the well-being of their populations," he insisted.
"The participation of regions has contributed to the growth and to the construction of the EU, which is, territorially, the most balanced union possible.
"This, in turn, has contributed to the citizens accepting and supporting the European idea.
“This role which the regions have obtained after a long struggle at European level, must now be conquered at global level,” said Martini.
With a budget of some €347bn for 2007-13, EU cohesion policy represents the single largest source of financial support at EU level for investment in growth and jobs.
The policy, channelled through the structural funds, has supported a huge number of projects.
The conference was organised by the commission's regional policy directorate and the Forum of Global Associations of Regions (FOGAR), of which Martini is president.
The two-day event concludes today.
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