Barnier: ‘Regions should be partners, not spectators’

Date:18/09/03

ANY attempt to water down powers granted to the EU's regions by the draft constitutional treaty drawn up by the European Convention must be fiercely resisted, insists Regional Policy Commissioner Michel Barnier.

Convention members agreed that the regions should play a bigger role in EU decision-making and the treaty includes, for the first time, a reference to regions.

However, there is concern that some proposals may be diluted by the intergovernmental conference (IGC) which will examine the treaty proposals next month.

Barnier urged the CRPM to defend the rights it has won in the draft treaty. After farm subsidies, regional funds account for the second largest slice of the Union's budget and Barnier wants the views of regions considered when the EU starts its budget-making process later this year. He told delegates: "The regions of Europe must be partners, not mere spectators, in the EU decision-making process."

CRPM President Claudio Martini echoed his comments, saying: "The negotiation phase for regional policy beyond 2006 is under way. The deadline might seem far off but the stakes are very real: will we head towards a Europe that only supports the poorest regions or should we defend a wider ambition through an equitable policy for all of Europe's regions?"

Xavier Gizard, secretary-general of the CRPM, heralded the Convention's proposals for the regions as a "major step forward" but warned: "The concern at present is to ensure that they are not called into question by the heads of state who will examine the text."

His concern was shared by Rhodri Morgan, first minister for Wales, who said: "I would say the regions got about 75% of what they wanted from the Convention. It is the first time the regions have been mentioned in a treaty but I am now looking to the IGC to improve certain areas. Regional assemblies and governments should have the right to consultation at an earlier stage of EU decision-making."

Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, is concerned that the Intergovernmental Conference which begins on 4 October 2003 may dilute powers granted to European Union regions by the draft constitutional treaty. Speaking at the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe in St Malo on 10-12 September 2003 Mr Barnier urged the Conference to defend the rights it had won on the draft treaty.

http://www.cpmr.org/indexb.html http://www.cpmr.org/indexb.html

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