Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-12-13-Speech-2-440"
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"en.20051213.65.2-440"2
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".
Madam President, the review of the regional aid rules is an integral part of the general reform of state aid policy, as was mentioned by the rapporteur. The overall objective is to adjust the state aid rules to the new approach to the structural funds for 2007-2013, and to give practical effect to the conclusions of the European Council, which call for less and better targeted state aid. Regional aid reform implies strict control of the more distortive aids by limiting the scope for investment aid for large firms to the regions most in need, in particular, as regards very large investment projects. The reform also allows Member States a sufficient degree of flexibility to design aid matters to promote the realisation of the Lisbon objectives and targets.
That additional flexibility is just one of the elements which was introduced into the package as a result of consultation, including my discussions with the Committee on Regional Development. Our approach is coherent with the state aid action plan, which recognises the need to allow regional aid in order to promote cohesion and convergence but emphasises that this should be targeted on the regions most in need.
Let me reiterate the importance of the principle of concentration. If the aid is spread too thinly and too widely, it simply will not help the regions most in need. We also provide for limited additional coverage, which is put at the disposal of the Member States concerned. Naturally, we expect Member States to target that aid on the areas most in need at national level and it is up to them to identify those areas.
When I read the report, I feel bound to say that we are being asked to spread this form of aid too widely. The assumption seems to be that areas which are not eligible for regional aid are not eligible for any form of state aid. Allow me to correct that impression: according to the latest state aid scoreboard, the type of aid we are talking about today – regional aid – makes up less than 20% of all state aid granted in the EU, excluding the agricultural, fisheries and transport sectors. Those regions not eligible for regional aid will continue to receive other forms of support through the horizontal aid measures that are covered by the state aid action plan: aid for small and medium-sized enterprises, research and development, innovation, training, employment and risk capital. Following a very extensive consultation process, I believe we are moving towards a global compromise that should meet the legitimate concerns of the vast majority of Member States.
No compromise is perfect and some limited adjustments to the text are always possible. However, I will study your proposals very carefully before putting a final package before the College next week for adoption. However, it will not be possible significantly to modify the overall balance that has been struck in the guidelines; otherwise we would risk upsetting the large majority of Member States which welcome and support our text, and might call the whole exercise into question."@en1
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