European and national parlamentarians discuss the repercussions for the EU cohesion policy following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, at the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

HÜBNER, Danuta Maria (EPP, PL)

HAHN, Johannes (AT, EC)

interparliamentary meeting

cohesion policy 2014-2020 (T)

DEMOTTE, Rudy (BE)

Impact and practical implementation of the Lisbon Treaty for Cohesion Policy: extracts from the Interparliamentary meeting

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), Chair of REGI Committee, Any growth in Europe should also aim at territorial cohesion. Territory means regions, cities, small towns, so Europe is not anymore Europe of institutions and of national governments; Europe is also a Europe of regions and cities.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), Chair of REGI Committee, We have now a meeting with national parliaments because the Treaty has also change the role both of European Parliament, with regards to cohesion policy we are now on equal footing with the Council on all the regulations, but also the national parliaments have for the first time a say in policy and decision making in Europe (...) So we want to develop a closer structural dialogue with national parliaments as we are facing the challenge of preparing the new policy, we are discussing now the future cohesion policy, we are preparing also a difficult budgetary negotiation, so we want to work together.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), Chair of REGI Committee, We want this policy to do more for the competiveness, innovation in Europe, so this policy has also to contribute to the EU 2020 strategy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), Chair of REGI Committee, I can't imagine that we could have a cohesion policy without Social Fund being a strong element of it; I cannot imagine a cohesion policy from which funds will be taken to create separate sectorial funds because that would kill one of the biggest achievements that is integrated approach to development and growth in the Union, which is very much in line with what goes on in the world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), Chair of REGI Committee, A credible and effective European cohesion policy covering entire European territory will have to be based on sufficient financial resources; that is why it is also important for us that in the Treaty the role of the Parliament in deciding on the financial framework has been strengthened.

SOUNDBITE (German), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Regional Development, Each individual region has its specific essence, it's got its unique selling point, it's got its own areas of priorities which have to be enhanced, strengthened and supported; this doesn't of course mean that other areas should be neglected.

SOUNDBITE (Georgian), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Regional Development, Territorial cooperation must be understood as an obligation to support every citizen in gaining access to public services.

SOUNDBITE (German), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Regional Development, Territorial cooperation is not an opportunity to avoid resolving problems locally by just passing them on to a higher level of supra regional cooperation.

SOUNDBITE (French), Rudy DEMOTTE, Minister-President of the Walloon Region and of the French Community, Belgium is a federal state and we are experimenting on daily basis local and regional cooperation, especially within the context of the stability pact; so it's important for member states and national parliaments to find the best way of cooperating with the local and regional authorities and this will help our strategy to be effective.