Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-27-Speech-2-152"
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"en.20050927.18.2-152"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, while I welcome Mr Marques’s work, I would like to comment more specifically on the report on the role of territorial cohesion in regional development.
First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr Guellec on his excellent work and the pertinence of his comments on the concept of ‘territorial cohesion’, which seems to me to be at the heart of Community regional policy, which is now referred to more and more frequently as cohesion policy. The Constitutional Treaty makes territorial cohesion an objective of the European Union, in the same way as social cohesion and economic cohesion. Thus, even though the ratification process experienced some difficulties, as we know, this constitutes official recognition of the relevance, currency and importance of the territorial aspects of regional and cohesion policy. The latest enlargement also confirms the urgent nature of this.
In my opinion, regional policy primarily aims to reduce development disparities at local and regional level and thus constitutes an indispensable counterbalance to convergence and economic competitiveness policy. However, cohesion does not stand in opposition to convergence and competitiveness: these concepts must be and remain complementary. While ensuring that the development of Europe’s most dynamic regions is not hindered, so that they can play their part as the engine of the European economy, the main aim of the cohesion policy is to help the most disadvantaged and underdeveloped regions. The reformed regional and cohesion policy must also be integrated in the Lisbon Strategy but, above all, ensure solidarity and equality between areas and the visible continuity of the efforts previously agreed to in the old Member States.
Therefore, to achieve harmonious and sustainable development of the European territory, we must attack territorial imbalances. We must take into consideration the diversity of the European area and the often cumulative handicaps of certain areas, be they natural, historical or demographic, such as low population density or imbalances in the age pyramid or in the active population. We must measure the additional costs faced by these regions and help them so that these areas have the same development opportunities as others and so that the people who live there are not penalised.
Of course, that requires resources and I hope that the financial perspective will soon reach a favourable outcome, so as to give the regional policy an adequate budget and to help the areas that still need it."@en1
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