ACTIVITIES

CPMR action

When the CPMR works on policies with a significant territorial impact, it does so with two objectives in mind :

• to ensure they are used to promote balanced and sustainable territorial development,
• to involve regions in developing them, so that their specific territorial circumstances are taken into account.

The CPMR works to ensure that EU instruments exploit regional potential to the greatest possible extent. By doing so, and by mobilising efforts to achieve the Lisbon objectives, the continent will be able to enhance its competitiveness and shore up its position in the global economy.

 

Transports

Peripheral areas need to compensate for the disadvantage of being located far from the centres of decision-making, production and consumption. Improving accessibility is therefore one of the CPMR's operational priorities.

It strongly believes that European transport policies should give priority to accessibility, and not just focus on reducing bottlenecks in the centre of Europe. It is keen to contribute to sustainable development, and is promoting the introduction of alternatives to the continued growth of road transport. It is encouraging moves towards intermodality and the use of maritime and rail transport. The development of short to medium-distance sea crossings and the balanced development of world-class transhipping ports will be vital for this redeployment.

Action in this field is led by a working group chaired by Midi-Pyrénées Region.

Its work focuses on :

• the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), and notably infrastructure funding,
• the development of maritime transport, especially sea motorways,
• the role of the regions in the European air transport system.

   

Research and innovation

The Union has set itself the objective of increasing investment in research to 3% of its GDP (with two-thirds coming from the private sector). The aim is to meet the technological challenges Europe needs to meet if it is to be competitive in world markets. However, the CPMR believes that the key issue is to ensure that this policy takes account of the socio-economic realities and needs of different territories. How can it enhance their capacity to act? The European Research Area must effectively be territorialised.

A CPMR working group coordinated by Valencia and Vastragotaland regions is examining these issues.

The coordination of research and development initiatives within the Union is mainly organised by the RTD framework programmes. The CPMR is consequently calling for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to :

• provide an appropriate role for the regions,
• take account of concerns relating to territorial cohesion,
• make thematic proposals, notably to support marine research.

   

Employment-training-human resources

FOCUS on the Lisbon strategy

When they met in Lisbon in March 2000, EU leaders set the goal for Europe to become, within a decade, "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.". There have been limited results to date.
This is why the strategy has been revised in 2005, to encourage simplification and a new partnership with the member states. The CPMR is convinced that the involvement of the regions in this strategy is a pre-requisite for its success.

The CPMR has decided to act in this area because :

• jobs, or the lack of them, constitute-in both quantitative and qualitative terms-one of the Union's biggest problems and a major concern for its citizens,
• improved workforce skills are vital for achieving the Lisbon objectives,
• regional authorities have significant powers in this field; links between the regional and national levels, notably concerning the implementation of the European Employment Strategy (EES), should be defined in detail,
• the exchange of good practice between regions will provide significant added value.

Stockholm and Asturias regions are coordinating this work.

Environment, agriculture and rural development (see our section on sustainable development), as well as European regional policy and state aid rules(see our section on cohesion) are also considered as policies which have a significant territorial impact.