Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-10-13-Speech-4-011"
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"en.20051013.3.4-011"2
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".
Mr President, I wish to thank Mr Beaupuy for drawing up an excellent report. It suggests a number of very concrete steps which can be taken to reinforce work on urban issues within the context of enlargement in the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council. In particular I appreciate your strong support for strengthening the urban dimension in future cohesion policy. The motion for a resolution is clear proof of the European Parliament’s strong commitment and dedication to urban policy.
I also noted with great interest your proposal to amend Annex VI to the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament on the subject of the areas of competence of the Committee on Regional Development to incorporate the urban dimension. I am convinced that towns and cities play a central role in achieving greater competitiveness, more growth and more and better jobs in Europe. That is why we intend to place urban actions at the core of cohesion policy.
I share your view that urban planning should incorporate a wide spectrum of policies and develop integrated spatial and thematic urban policy on a human scale to ensure people-friendly cities. I agree with you that we must further reinforce urban policy development priorities. In fact, I have asked my services to prepare a detailed analysis on the contribution of cities to growth and jobs in the regions. A working paper will complement the Community strategic guidelines. It will also provide more specific guidance on how cities and regions can cooperate when preparing and implementing cohesion policy programmes. This document will also bring out more clearly those city-focused priorities which the Commission considers to be indispensable or highly promising in order to implement cohesion programmes successfully. As you know, a number of thematic priorities – such as the knowledge economy, social cohesion and urban environment – are set out in the draft Community strategic guidelines. Cities can make an important contribution to these.
It is my aim to discuss this document with Member States’ regions and cities. The debate will be opened at the UK informal Council on Sustainable Communities on 6 December in Bristol, where we will present our paper. Afterwards we will start a wide consultation, the results of which will be used to draw up the final version of the Community strategic guidelines.
I look forward to an extensive exchange of views on this working paper on cities with the honourable Members of Parliament. This paper will also respond to your request to develop and propose models and tools for sustainable urban development. It will provide recommendations based on current good practice in promoting sustainable local communities through an integrated approach. Many lessons will be drawn from cities participating in our URBACT networks.
In addition, the thematic strategy for sustainable urban development, being prepared under the framework of the Sixth Environmental Action Programme, will be a further step in enhancing dialogue between the Commission and national and local authorities. This thematic strategy on urban environment is currently scheduled for adoption by the Commission on 21 December 2005.
Your motion for a resolution also calls on the Commission to move towards a horizontal application of the urban dimension and towards coordination between the departments of the Commission that are directly or indirectly concerned with urban issues. I can assure you that the services are already working in close collaboration on the urban content of the Community strategy guidelines. In the light of the results of this work, and after the adoption of the legislative framework for cohesion policy 2007-2013, we will assess the working practices with a view to ensuring efficient cross-service coordination on urban issues. My intention at this stage will be to establish an interdepartmental task force along the same lines as your Urban Housing Intergroup to ensure a horizontal approach to policy measures which affect cities.
Finally, you asked the Commission to ensure that intervention in towns and cities and urban agglomerations is strengthened. As you know, our proposal for the future cohesion policy programmes foresees that each Member State will present a list of urban areas that will benefit from specific assistance within the regional programmes. It also makes provision for sub-delegating the implementation of programme management to the cities themselves. However, unfortunately, as we all know, the Council has rendered these provisions optional, like a number of other measures in favour of cities, such as the consultation of urban authorities in the framework of partnership. I count very much on your support to convince the Member States to reinstate our initial ideas in the negotiations. The lack of strong commitment from the Member States would undermine our efforts towards strengthening the urban dimension in our policy and it would call into question some of our concrete initiatives, like the Urban Audit programme.
I also wish to tell you that there has been some progress on urban-related issues in the negotiations as well. The UK Presidency has proposed to turn urban sustainable development into a fully-fledged priority, in addition to those priorities proposed under the convergence and regional competitiveness objectives. Let me assure you that I have no doubts that we need both cities and regions if we want to achieve greater competitiveness, more growth and better jobs. I am also confident that the cities will receive the place in our policy which they deserve."@en1
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