Transcript The impact of the crisis on European Regions

“How to move the North Sea – English Channel
Macro-regional Strategy forward? "
CoR FORUM - 2010/04/13
WHY TO MOVE MACRO-REGIONS FORWARD?
WHAT DOES THE INTEREST FOR MACRO-REGIONAL APPROACHES TELL US?
• There is a shared feeling of failure to efficiently coordinate policies in a given area
with existing instruments
• The growing complexity and interlinks between the challenges the EU faces today
ask for more complex solutions
The macro-regional approach must not only be seen as an additional, artificial border in the
EU but also as a source of strategic opportunity
• « Territorial diversity » is asking for the floor !
 Giving it the floor through « geographic enhanced cooperation » such as Macro-Regions
can give the EU project a more ground-rooted aspect which lacks today.
 Need a global discussion and a conceptual framework
WHO, WHEN AND HOW?
WHO? MEMBER STATES TAKING THE LEAD IN PARTNERSHIP
• Member States are the ones to decide launching Macro-Regional Strategies:
• They must be convinced to give the green light
• They must be helped in identifying priorities for each Macro-Regional Strategy
• They must be accompanied by in implementing the strategy
• The Commission must provide a conceptual framework and identify its possible
links with post 2013 policy instruments
• Regions must
• Mobilize to show the relevance of a Macro-Regional approach in their area
• Help the Member States to identify the ground needs and policy priorities
• Participate actively in the Macro-Regional Strategy implementation
WHO, WHEN AND HOW?
WHEN?: A TIGHT SCHEDULE
• The EU Council, by September 2010 should ask that:
• All EU macro-regional strategies to be implemented from 2014 be developed by the
end of 2012
• The EU Commission proposes a conceptual and operational framework by June 2011
• The debate on the areas which could benefit from Macro-regional strategies
could be carried out within each of the 13 transnational cooperation programmes
by the end of 2011:
•A general debate would deal with the definition of the relevant area
•Thematic conferences would help identifying a small number of priorities to be
integrated in the Strategy.
• Member States would identify the Macro-regional strategies to be developed by
the end of 2011. They will be prepared during 2012.
WHO, WHEN AND HOW?
HOW ?: 4 PREREQUISITES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MRS
These prerequisites build on the failures or missing links faced by current policy
instruments:
1 - Target to geographical needs in coherence with EU 2020 goals
 STOP the « one size fits all » programmes under territorial cooperation
2 - Build on existing policy instruments: regional policy and territorial cooperation
 Nothing to invent, everything to rearrange
3 - Coordinate with other relevant policies: the case of Integrated maritime Policy
 Compatible approaches, but a maritime-based MRS must set specific governance
modes (build on existing bodies, coordinate with a broader range of policies and DGs)
4 - A genuine governance model for each MRS based on the partnership rule and
a visible political commitment to reach the MRS objectives together
HOW TO MOVE MACRO-REGIONS FORWARD?
EU 2020
National Framework
STRATEGY
Macro-regional Framework
National Framework
Macro-regional Framework
National Framework
Macro-Regional OPs
Via earmarking
Multi-regional
OPs
Regional OPs
All EU Regions
-intra-national
-pluri-national
(including crossborder)
Neighbourhood Policy
Sectoral / Thematic Policies
Cohesion Policy
Single « Networking/benchmarking »
Cooperation Programme
DG REGIO Seminar – Brussels – 2010/03/12
OPERATIONAL