Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-02-Speech-2-041"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-09-02"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Cohesion policy2
dcterms:Language	"it"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030902.1.2-041"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-09-02-Speech-2-0422
lpv:speaker	lp:Giacomo Santini2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Delegation for relations with the countries of South America and MERCOSUR (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 substitute; AGRI (2002-03-01--2004-07-19)3 member; EPP-ED (2001-06-14--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Forza Italia (2001-06-14--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs (2002-01-21--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, Commissioner, I object to mountain regions being labelled as disadvantaged regions, at least as a generalisation. The mountain regions are rich in a number of different kinds of resources – environmental, economic and human – but they need direct, practical aid to enable these resources to be successfully harnessed. According to the statistics, 30% of Europe is taken up by mountains and, with enlargement, this specific feature, this specific characteristic, will account for over 40% of the territory. However, the mountain regions are sparsely populated – inhabited by only 5% of the Community’s population – which means that political pressure from that quarter is relatively ineffectual. It is therefore up to us to lend a hand. It must also be said that not all mountain regions are the same and that the reform of the Structural Funds, with the abolition of Objectives 5a and 5b, has created considerable confusion. Objective 2 is too all-embracing and too flexible, it includes too many items and lumps together the needs of regions which are essentially different. Simplification is not always the best path to take if the rigour of scientific accuracy is lost along the way. In the mountains, there are areas which have priorities common to us all. There has been an example of this just recently: it is in the mountains that we protect ourselves against floods and drought, by safeguarding water resources and territorial integrity. This is an example of how the mountain regions are directly relevant to the interests and needs of all. Well then, what can we do? Commissioner, we must have the courage to provide direct aid, with regard to which the rules governing state aid and competition must be made more flexible; we need to have the determination to safeguard man’s life and presence in the mountain regions as a guarantee of genuine cohesion; we also need to muster the courage to recognise this specific feature of Europe in practical terms, not just in words. How? Maybe by extending the application of Article 158 on islands to mountain regions too."@en1

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