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NEWSLETTER - OCTOBER 2009 - REGIONS AND THE CRISIS - WWW.CRPM.ORG |
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AHNER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE REGIONS 
Dirk Ahner, Director General of DG REGIO maintains that the European Commission has reacted strongly and quickly to the economic crisis and that regional policy could play an important role in the upcoming years. Enrico Mayrhofer: What measures has the Commission introduced to tackle the crisis? Dirk Ahner: Last autumn, the Commission had already reacted to the crisis. Indeed, a package of measures was introduced which included very concrete actions such as the additional contribution of money either by the European Investment Bank or by the Commission itself within the scope of its existing budgetary margins. In addition, the Commission has ensured maximum coordination of the member states’ action to tackle the crisis while enabling them to act in synergy. For example, numerous agreements have been made between the member states and the Commission on several policy areas from monitoring the financial markets to concrete investments which aim to boost the economic activity of the EU. The Commission has also proposed simplifying a series of temporary
regulations especially in the fields of competitiveness, state
aid and regional policy, in order to help the regions have maximum
flexibility in the implementation of structural funds.
THE CPMR TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AREA 
The CPMR is launching a new working group on the Regions in the
European Research Area. Led by Mr Alain Bénéteau,
Vice-President of Midi-Pyrénées Regional Council,
the group will be drafting proposals regarding the link between
the European Research Area and the territories, regional involvement
in FPRTD projects and other programmes which provide funding for
research, and synergies between the Regions and European structural
initiatives such as the European Technology Platforms, ESFRI research
facilities or innovation and knowledge communities. By addressing
these issues, the CPMR will have a chance to contribute to the
debate on the future of EU policy to support research and help
to prepare for FP8. These considerations will complement those
on the links between research and innovation and certain policy
areas such as maritime policy and energy as well as EU regional
policy after 2013. THE REGIONS ON FOOD SECURITY 
During the World Summit in 1996, the FAO defined food security as “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. Unfortunately, this situation is far from being achieved in the majority of countries. Guaranteeing food security means providing an adequate offer throughout the year, ensuring the quality of food and providing access to food for all. However, food security at national or macro-regional level does not necessarily imply food security at local or individual level. Regions from the North and the South are working more and more alongside States and international organisations to mobilise local stakeholders and pool everyone’s skills in order to improve the capacity to produce, process and distribute foodstuffs in the territories and to increase household incomes in order to improve access to food.
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INTERVIEW
