Policy Focus

Share lessons of enlargement, says EU regions chief

EU regional commissioner Danuta Hübner says the EU has a“positive duty” to share its experience of regional policy with therest of the world.

The Polish official responsible for regional affairs says that EUenlargement has had a “great impact” in promoting jobs and growthin the 27-member region.

She says the EU and its member states can now spread this “goodpractice” to other parts of Europe and further afield.

Hübner said, “"Europe has learned much about the process ofregional development and regional policy over the last 20years.

“Our experience of welcoming new member states has been soinstructive that we feel that we have a positive duty to share thisknowledge with regions and countries in other parts of theworld.

“The factors which make regional policy so successful in Europeinclude elements like de-centralising responsibility, involving awide spectrum of civil society and a strong partnership withregional authorities.

“These and other factors can have great impact in promoting growthand balanced development in the regions of Asia, Africa and LatinAmerica, as well as in nearer neighbours.”

She was speaking ahead of a high level conference in the Moroccanport city of Tangiers next week (12-15 May).

The meeting has been organized by the recently formed Forum ofGlobal Associations of Regions on Cohesion Policy and Globalisation(FOGAR) and the Rennes-based Conference of Peripheral and MaritimeRegions. FOGAR is the umbrella body for nearly 60 regional bodiesaround the world.

Addressing the main theme of the event, Hübner said she would, inparticular, press the Moroccan authorities to take “full advantage”of cross border co-operation in the EU.

During her visit, Hübner will meet Morocco's director of localgovernment, Nour-Eddine Boutayeb., and the president of theregional council of Tangiers-Tetouan, Abdelhadi Benallal.

Her visit to Morocco is the first ever to the country and the firstto Tangiers by a serving EU commissioner and comes at a time ofincreasing links between the EU and north Africa.

According to the commission, Morocco is an increasingly importanttrade partner for the EU - between 1994 and 2004 trade volumes grewby over 80 per cent.

The EU is Morocco's main trading partner accounting for over 60 percent of all its trade.

Between 2000 and 2005 Morocco received over €800m as its part ofthe so-called MEDA programme which covers trade support, povertyreduction, the environment and human rights.