Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-27-Speech-2-158"
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"en.20050927.18.2-158"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the EU is not only a political project; it is also a project that is synonymous with solidarity and should be based on economic, social and territorial cohesion. As an area that cuts across all areas, territorial cohesion should be mainstreamed in all EU policies, so that we do not fall into the trap of exacerbating the differences between the existing 25 Member States and those that are on their way, whom I should like to take this opportunity to greet.
We must break down some of the barriers faced by the outermost regions and invest in a sustainable development model that takes account of the disparities between not only Member States but also regions, even within the same Member State. The purpose is therefore to give tangible form to the aims of the Lisbon Strategy, without making the mistake of achieving efficiency and competitiveness by promoting an unequal Europe.
It is essential that we do not use per capita GDP as the sole eligibility criteria for the Structural Funds, which is after all the classic indicator. Other indicators must be used, as a matter of priority, such as the amount of activity in research and innovation, the level of education and training, the extent of diversification of productivity in the area and the unemployment rate. Subjecting a region’s actual needs to an indicator that is often determined at national level is notoriously error-prone.
I should like to draw your attention, Mr President, Commissioner, to the issue of phasing out in certain regions, 19 of them in all, which since enlargement have acquired the status of being statistically wealthier, whilst their actual economic situation has seen no improvement. This is a serious problem affecting regions such as the Algarve, in Portugal, from where I hail, one of the outermost regions in terms of the European mainland, which also suffers from deep internal disparities, quite apart from the fact that it is surrounded on all sides by Objective 1 areas. For this region, just as for all of the other 18, a balanced solution must be found whereby they remain eligible while structural problems are still apparent, and they are helped to achieve more balanced development.
The Union needs to find a response to the challenges that enlargement has placed before us. That response must be characterised by solidarity and responsibility and requires territorial cohesion and the political courage to create the conditions whereby the EU can become a prosperous area, without discrepancies between north and south, east and west, between mountainous areas and outermost regions."@en1
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