Danuta Huebner w Parlamencie Europejskim

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Parlamenty narodowe o polityce spójności., 13 lipca 2010

Bruksela

Przedstawiciele 27 parlamentów narodowych, prezydencji belgijskiej oraz Komisji Europejskiej wzięli udział w debacie o polityce spójności w kontekście Traktatu z Lizbony, zorganizowanej przez Komisję do spraw Rozwoju Regionalnego.
Uczestnicy konferencji byli zgodni, co do tego, że polityka spójności winna służyć zmniejszaniu różnic rozwojowych miedzy regionami, uwzględniać ich zróżnicowane terytorialne i stawać się coraz bardziej skuteczna dzięki uproszczeniu unijnych procedur i zasad.
Profesor Danuta Hübner, która prowadziła dyskusję przypomniała o roli Parlamentu Europejskiego, który dzięki Traktatowi z Lizbony znacznie zwiększył swoje znaczenie. Zdaniem profesor Hübner dobra i skuteczna współpraca na poziomie regionalnym w całej Europie może pomoc w wyjściu z kryzysu.
Komisarz Johannes Hahn stwierdził, ze dzięki traktatowi polityka spójności jest nie tylko celem, ale i zobowiązaniem dla regionów. Pozytywnie odniósł się do idei wielopoziomowego zarządzania.
Belgijski minister Rudy Demotte powiedział, że polityka spójności jest jednym z ważniejszych celów prezydencji belgijskiej, czego dowodem są liczne spotkania poświęcone tym zagadnieniom, jak np. konferencja w Tournai o współpracy terytorialnej, (30 września i 1 października) oraz nieformalna Rada Ministrów w Liège 22 listopada.

We wnioskach profesor Hübner stwierdziła, ze Traktat Lizboński daje polityce spójności nowe możliwości, ale ich pełne wykorzystanie będzie zależeć przede wszystkim od samych regionów, a także instytucji unijnych i państw członkowskich. Zdaniem Profesor narodowe parlamenty, jako cenni partnerzy odgrywają pozytywną rolę w dyskusji o polityce regionalnej.

Komunikat prasowy ze spotkania.

Regional policy: new powers to parliaments should boost efficiency

How best to use the new regional policy powers conferred on EU, national and regional parliaments by the Lisbon Treaty was the key issue debated by their members at an inter-parliamentary meeting in Brussels on Monday. Most agreed that EU cohesion policy should continue to promote prosperity and reduce gaps among regions, but should also take more account of their specificities and be made less bureaucratic.

The timing of the meeting is important, said EP Regional Development Committee Chair Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland), stressing that the debate would contribute to the reshaping of EU cohesion policy, currently under discussion as part of the review of EU's financial regulation planned for 2013, and to the planning of the EU's long-term budget for 2013-2020.

Subsidiarity is about sharing, not fighting

The "subsidiarity watchdog" role of national and regional parliaments was enhanced by the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, noted Mrs Hübner. Although subsidiarity requires the EU to act only where aims cannot be sufficiently achieved by Member States acting alone, it should be seen as a "way to co-operate between different levels" of government and "share competences better", rather than "not allowing the EU to intervene" she added.

The Lisbon treaty, for the first time enables national parliaments to comment on legislative proposals independently from governments, and, in extreme cases to block EU legislation, added Mrs Hüber. The European Parliament's legislative and budgetary powers are also enhanced, since Parliament now decides on cohesion policy on an equal footing with the Council, she added.

Territorial cohesion

The treaty also makes "territorial cohesion" an EU objective in its own right, noted Regional Development Commissioner Johannes Hahn. A clear view of what "territorial cohesion" means has yet to be agreed, but this objective does link up with the "need for stronger and more multi-level governance", with greater involvement of regions and co-operation among them, he said. Mr Hahn also stressed the need to address the problems of all regions and for an integrated approach that encompasses all growth-promoting measures in a given region, rather than focusing on specific sectors.

Verify results, not just procedures

The verification procedures that structural and cohesion fund users must comply with are too complex and focus on administration and accountancy, rather than results, observed Giancarlo Giorgetti (Italian Chamber of Deputies, Budget Committee). "There are no tools to verify the ex ante and ex post efficiency of funds, and this must change" he said.
Funding: for specific regions or for all?

Many speakers agreed that while diverse regions need specific approaches cohesion policy should be accessible to all Member States. Even "prosperous" northern Member States have specific difficulties, e.g. due to sparse population or remoteness noted MEP Riikka Manner (ALDE, Finland).

If EU cohesion policy after 2013 concentrates only on some specific regions it will become a threat, argued Vytatutas Kurpuvesas (Lithuanian Parliament), adding that per capita GDP should remain a key criterion in distributing funds.

Recognising territorial cohesion as a common EU objective will make it easier to take account of regions' specificities, noted Rudy Demotte (Minister-President of the Belgian Walloon Region and the French Community).

Funding challenge

Views differed on the future funding of cohesion policy. "Structural funds can be instrumental in fighting crises. I don't think the EU can afford to limit structural funds, because it would limit growth," argued Władysław Ortyl (Polish Senate). "We need to look at why the Lisbon strategy did not work", take account of the "financial limits" and "must know how to choose", said Anna Zalewska (Polish Lower House). Other speakers advocated setting clearer objectives in order to limit expenses.

Summing up, Mrs Hübner said: "We all can say that the Lisbon Treaty can bring progress the way cohesion policy is conducted," but how the new possibilities are used, "fully depends on us: the European Parliament, in particular the Committee on Regional Development, and what will be done at the Member States' level."

In the chair: Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland)

Committee on Regional development
Website of the meeting. List of participants

Contact: Marika Armanovica
Press Unit
fish-press@europarl.europa.eu
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