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신 지역혁신정책과 혁신 아이디어 토론
A NEW REGIONAL POLICY: INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR THE POST - 2013 REFORM

FOREWORD:

At a time when the new Operational Programmes for the period 2007-2013 have just started to be implemented in the 27 Member States of the EU, a broad debate on the future reform of EU structural funds after 2013 has already been launched. The European Commission called for a wide public consultation at the Fourth Cohesion Forum in September 2007, the results of which are presented in the 5th Progress Report on Economic and Social Cohesion. Parallel to that, the publication of the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion in September 2008 is expected to give a new impetus to this debate, as it aims at defining the very concept of territorial cohesion, which will be central to the future development of this community policy.

The EPP-ED Group, as the largest political group in the European Parliament, is determined to play a key role in this debate. Our political group believes that it is not too early to come forward with some new ideas about the shape and form that  cohesion policy should take at the next reform. We are convinced that the European Parliament should not just be confined to responding to the changes proposed by the European Commission (as they will be presented in the Fifth Cohesion Report), but to be instrumental in their formulation. The fact that, subject to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament will have co-decision power over the adoption of the next legislative package on Structural Funds, is another reason to make its views and positions clear at an early stage. The EPP-ED plans to be the driving force behind  parliament’s involvement and contribution to the reform. Acknowledging the necessity to be active in this process, our political group has decided to place the reform of cohesion policy as one of its ten strategic priorities for the years to come.

A number of initiatives have already been taken in this direction. Our Group has recently organized a large public hearing with the title “A New Regional Policy: Innovative Ideas for the post-2013 reform”. The hearing consisted of two parts: the first part was dedicated to the Fourth Report on Economic and Social Cohesion, chaired by the Parliament’s rapporteur, Mr Ambroise GUELLEC, Member of the EPP-ED Group. The second part focused precisely on the preparation of new innovative ideas that could be considered for the future reform of cohesion policy. This panel was chaired by the EPP-ED spokesperson on regional policy, Mr Lambert van NISTELROOIJ.

The success of this event was incontestable. This is not only because it managed to attract a very large audience, including - among others - Members of the European Parliament, Members of the Commission on Territorial Cohesion in the Committee of the Regions, European Commission and Council officials, representatives of different organisations and regional offices, and other stakeholders. Its success can mainly be attributed to the quality of the presentations made by six prestigious experts in the field of regional policy, who managed to respond to the main challenge presented to them: to bring forward their visions and stir up a very lively debate with some strong -and sometimes controversial - arguments and positions. We were also very glad to receive the contribution of Dr Michael SCHNEIDER, Chair of the COTER Committee in the Committee of the Regions.

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