Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-07-04-Speech-2-036"
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"en.20060704.5.2-036"2
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"Mr President, Mrs Hübner, Mr Špidla, Mr Manninen, ladies and gentlemen, I can testify to the vigour and richness of the exchanges of the last few months and the last two years, which have resulted today in texts that my colleagues and I think and hope will in a moment be adopted by the European Parliament by a very large majority.
I would like to stress that, throughout this debate, my group has given the greatest possible attention to the need for these texts to be effective. The different speeches that have just been made have made clear the various areas where they need to be just that.
As Mrs Krehl has just indicated, the Structural Funds are a testimony of solidarity with the most disadvantaged regions, so that they can attain an average level of prosperity. As the examples of Ireland, Spain, Portugal and other countries have shown, the development of regions benefiting from the Structural Funds contributes to the development of the European Union as a whole, because of the investments that those regions are able to make.
Today, Mrs Hübner, Mr Manninen, we are going to move on to the second phase. After the theoretical phase of drawing up the Structural Funds, we are entering the preparation phase. Allow me to list three conditions – at an educational level and in terms of providing spurs to action and, if I may say so, tempting incentives - that are necessary if this preparation phase is to succeed.
At an educational level, Mrs Hübner, I know that, with your co-workers, you have already organised a number of conferences to raise awareness. We really must develop this communication strategy, and the document that you have just published takes this approach. We also have to make good practices very widely known. The Member States, the regions and the different actors which are in the process of preparing projects must really have a good knowledge of different practices in order to be able to prepare their projects properly.
Secondly, let us learn how to handle the various incentives available to us. You know - and with good reason - that within the Structural Funds it is possible to have recourse to technical assistance funds. We have noted in the past that a portion of these funds was not used, or was used badly. From now until the end of 2006, and throughout 2007, the technical assistance funds must be used in order to prepare worthy projects.
Thirdly, as we say in France, ‘fear of the policeman is the beginning of wisdom’. The various Member States, project organisers and regions, etc. need to be reminded that if they do not comply with the rules laid down in the regulations, then they will not be able to benefit from the Structural Funds. I regret of course that, as my fellow Members have pointed out, certain Member States have recently refused to recycle funds that cannot be used within the specified periods.
Finally, and to conclude, I cannot but point out, as president of the intergroup, that the European Union has finally recognised the need to bring the Structural Funds into play at the level of towns and regions. Therein, and within the framework of the Lisbon agreement, lies the assurance of improved success in the years to come.
Mrs Hübner, Mr Špidla, Mr Manninen, please be assured that, together with our fellow Members of the European Parliament, we shall help to make a success of the Structural Funds, without however relaxing our vigilance."@en1
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