Beyond the frontiers” “

Economic growth and convergence of production systems; regional competitiveness and employment; territorial cooperation “beyond the frontiers”: these are the major objectives spelt out by the European Commission in its third Report on economic and social cohesion (February 2004), which is already planning for the imminent Union of the Twenty-Five. MICHEL BARNIER , EU Commissioner for regional policies and cohesion, has put a lot of effort into this Report and now explains to Gianni Borsa, SIR correspondent in Brussels, his convictions about enlargement, local autonomy, and process of integration. Barnier, a French politician of Gaullist stamp, and author of various political studies, was deputy and senator for Savoy. As Minister for the Environment (1993-95) he signed the plan for the safeguard of Mont-Saint-Michel and the programme for the protection of the bears of the Pyrenees. He later served as Minister for Community Affairs; he has been a member of the Commission in Brussels since 1999. Commissioner Barnier, the economic and social differences between the Fifteen and the new EU member countries are clear; the diversities between the regions are also considerable. After enlargement, will the situation be more complex? Will the gaps tend to close? “It is clear that with the enlargement of EU frontiers we will have to come to terms with the marked inequalities within the Union. Enlargement will mean that EU population and territory will each increase by a third. But the supplementary wealth thus generated will only increase by 5%. So enlargement means a commitment to solidarity by the Union, and we have the means to tackle this problem. Thanks also to the intervention of regional policy, the economic disparities between the various areas of the Union will be progressively reduced. Let’s take, for example, the four least prosperous States of the Fifteen: the difference of their GDP from that of the other countries has been reduced from 11 to 13 percentage points for Greece, Portugal and Spain between 1988 and 2003. For Ireland the progress has been even more spectacular. We will tackle the same challenge with our new ‘members’ from 1st May onwards in the framework of EU programmes co-financed by structural funds and cohesion funds”. What actions are planned in this direction? “Apart from immediate interventions, from 2007 on the structural funds, according to the Commission’s proposal (as part of EU financial prospects 2007-13), will serve to co-finance projects for economic recovery at the regional level, so as to achieve three priority objectives: convergence, competitiveness and cooperation. Given the situation of so many regions of the new member states, almost all the areas of these countries will have access to the common funds. Basic investments will be needed to promote local businesses and hence the creation of new jobs. The development of administrative systems is simultaneously needed, so as to support this phase of growth. Programmes for improvement of transport and the protection of the environment will also be at the centre of attention. The Commission proposes that 75-80% of the structural funds be allocated to these countries and to their less developed regions”. What role may the regions play in the process towards European integration? “The regions are dynamic actors that must play a role as protagonists in this process. The local authorities of the continent, moreover, help to ‘construct Europe’ thanks to twinning programmes and, since a decade or so ago, also thanks to programmes like ‘Interreg’, aimed at regional cooperation. By collaborating with local forms of autonomy, the Commission will equip itself with supplementary means of understanding territorial situations and experiences and be able to approach citizens through the administrative levels that are closest to them”. What place will be given to the regions in the future European Constitution? “The draft Constitution that emerged from the Convention reinforced the regional dimension. Respect for local autonomy is enunciated as a constitutional principle, as also is the fact that decisions should be taken at as close a level as possible to citizens (principle of subsidiarity). Cross-border cooperation is given a juridical basis. Territorial cohesion, which inspires the whole of the regional policy that I direct, is cited among the Union’s objectives. The possibility of ministers of the Regions representing their States in the EU Council is also acknowledged in the draft Constitution. This draft thus grants to the regions a more important place than ever before in the history of European construction”.