INTERVIEW WITH JACQUES BARROT, COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

France 3 & CPMR - Commissioner, European affairs take time to mature, but where do we stand now after 10 years of discussion. Have we reached a turning point?

“We are making progress. Firstly, with regard to ports policy. We now have a pragmatic approach that takes into account the diversity of ports in Europe and which is very proactive. We want to adapt and modernise ports. It is all about infrastructures. Infrastructures need to be built taking on board environmental problems, but the environment must not constitute an obstacle to the necessary modernisation process. Moreover, we need to adopt a pragmatic approach to port services with regard to competition and quality of services. Concessions need to be granted in a transparent manner, but with the concern to guarantee investors the sort of return they can normally expect. Finally, we also want ports to be places where there is a real social dialogue, as in Dunkirk for instance. It is in these pragmatic approaches that the future of our major European ports will be decided.”...

---

• Read the article     

G. SACCONI: “THE “CLIMATE” IS CHANGING AT LAST!”

Global warming is a subject of great concern for us all, however from now on it is, above all, a political “emergency” for the European Union and several of its member states. As an example, Slovenia and France, the next Presidencies in 2008, have introduced this theme in their priorities and six months ago the European Parliament created an ad-hoc Commission for Climate Change, chaired by Guido Sacconi, the Party of European Socialists Tuscan MEP.

Mr Sacconi, what is the aim of this temporary commission that you chair and, in particular, what are its expectations?

“The objective is to increase the European Parliaments’ powers and proceed to concrete action in the struggle against climate change and global warming, not only on a European level, but also by involving the entire international community.”

This ad hoc Commission is celebrating its first “half-birthday”, what conclusions can be drawn from these first six months?...

---

• Read the article     

AQUACULTURE IS LIKE A RIVER…

In the words of Mr Pier Salvador, President of API (Associazione Piscicoltori Italiani), “Aquaculture is like a river, with producers on one side and consumers on the other. These conferences are the water where we meet”. This years thematic conference, “European Aquaculture and its Opportunities for Development”, organised by the CPMR on behalf of DG Fish, acted as a “river”, bringing together a balanced representation of the main stakeholders to discuss the future of the European Aquaculture Industry. At a time when the industry can be considered to be at a crossroads in its development, this 2 day conference provided a platform for dialogue between 200 participants, including professionals from different sectors, representatives of national and regional authorities, non-governmental organisations, scientists and researchers. ...

---

• Read the article     

FOCUSING ON INNOVATION…

TOWARDS THE NEXT REGIONAL POLICY PROGRAMMING PERIOD (2014-2020)

Over the last few years, reducing the innovation deficit in European regions and improving territorial competitiveness has become one of the key targets of the European Policy Agenda. In line with this priority, the European institutions have already carried out several initiatives, such as the funding of concrete programmes like the FP7 or CIP, and the earmarking of the Structural Funds in favour of the Lisbon strategy targets. Bearing in mind this new reality, we decided to widen our political reflection to the next Regional Policy programming period (2014–2020), focusing on the relations existing between Structural Funds and regional innovation strategies. Therefore, following the initiative launched at our 2006 General Assembly by the President of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission, Mrs Christel Liljeström, we also agreed to set up a working group on innovation, called the TN-RIS project (Towards a New Regional Innovation System)...

---

• Read the article     

---

• See all CPMR events