• Home
  • Events
    • Upcoming events
    • Previous events
  • Members
    • Who are AER’s members?
    • Member Directory
    • Join AER!
  • Committees
    • About Our Committees
    • Committee 1 for Economy & Regional development
    • Committee 2 for Social Policy & Public Health
    • Committee 3 for Culture, Education & Youth
    • Digital Health Network
    • AER Action Plan
  • Advocacy
    • About Our Advocacy Work
    • The Bureau
    • AER Political Priorities 2020-2025
    • Intercultural Regions Network
  • Projects
    • About Our Projects
    • Ongoing Projects
    • Look for Partners
    • Completed Projects
  • Programmes
    • AER Eurodyssey
    • AER Summer Academy
    • AER Youth Regional Network
    • Regional Innovation Award
    • Most Youth Friendly European Region Award (MYFER)
    • AER Observatory on Regionalisation
  • About
    • The History of AER
    • Governance & Structure
    • Statute & Strategies
      • AER Statute
      • AER Procedures
    • AER Executive Board
    • Contact the Secretariat

Assembly of European Regions

Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985

You are here: Home / Library / AER Positions / Position of the Political Bureau of the AER: Transition regions must be taken into consideration

Position of the Political Bureau of the AER: Transition regions must be taken into consideration

29 April, 2011 By Editor

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail
Share this!


‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL), 29 April 2011

On the occasion of its spring Bureau meeting, members of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) went over the conclusions of the 5th report on economic, social and territorial cohesion of the European Commission again, in particular the reference to the possible creation of a new intermediate category of regions that can receive financial support under Cohesion Policy. It is within this context that a position on the future of “intermediate” and “transition” regions was adopted by the AER.

The AER calls for adequate, transparent and fair solutions for all regions, including those who find themselves just above the threshold of the convergence objective (less than 75% of GDP per capita average in Europe) but retain a GDP of less than 90% of the mean. The AER believes that there will be no problem in financing this new category of aid, as the funds allocated to the two other objectives will be automatically reduced when the regions come out of these categories.

Michèle Sabban, President of the Assembly of European Regions, welcomed this stance, stressing that “cohesion policy should remain a policy for all Europeans, and therefore continue to support all regions for the sake of competitiveness, innovation and employment. “

There are in fact between 40 and 50 billion Euros, which could be distributed to European regions who have exceeded the level of convergence but have not fully reached the stage of competitiveness. This intermediate category – from 75% to 90% of EU GDP per capita – would cover some 50 regions of 12 EU member states (Belgium, Germany, France, Greece, United Kingdom, Portugal, Malta, Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland and Finland).

Lambert Van Nistelrooij, Member of European Parliament, joined the AER debate on the future of Europe. He addressed the following message to Europe’s regions: “The Europe 2020 strategy is in fact a contract between the European Union and the Member States; the sub-national level must also form contracts with States, contracts that clearly stipulate the role of each party, lest the budgets shrink and the domination of the national level increases. This would mark a retreat from the progress made to date in terms of cohesion policy. Now is the time for you to act and become true partners in shaping the future of Europe and its citizens. I propose to negotiate for a territorial pact in every member state”.

The AER members have already anticipated this advice through their White Paper on the future of cohesion policy, which was communicated to respective states and the European institutions.

Download: 

For more information: info@aer.eu

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Filed Under: AER Positions, Bureau, Funding, News Tagged With: Cohesion, Cohesion policy, Employment, Innovation, Regional diversity

← Youth mobility and entrepreneurship : AER banks upon young people AER Position: Intermediate arrangements for transition regions in future Cohesion Policy: AER Position →

More articles on this topic

Eurobarometer: What do we know about Cohesion Policy?
Bureau Members adopt AER’s political priorities for 2018-2019
Open letter to Mr. José Manuel Barroso – President of the European Commission
The AER and Commissioner Hübner agree on opening a wide debate on the future of interregional cooperation
The AER and Commissioner Hübner agree on opening a wide debate on the future of interregional cooperation
AER Linz 2002 A successful step for giving European regions one voice
A successful step for giving European regions one voice

AER. Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985.

Follow our newsletter!




View previous campaigns.


Upcoming Events

  1. Enthusiasm in learning and success in times of pandemic

    27 January - 28 January

View All Events

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Tweets by @europeanregions

Funding Opportunities

Horizon 2020-funded European Green Deal Calls for Proposals

Have you been inspired by Together4Cohesion? A new call for projects is open to communicate cohesion policy

More funding opportunities

Visit our SDG Website

Partner Search

Are you developing a project in the tourism sector? Umbria is keen to join!

Partner Search: Develop innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies with the team from Umbria

More project opportunities

Library

Statutory Documents
AER Strategies
Minutes
Media Kit
Activity Reports
Newsletters
European Regions Map

Join AER!

Become a Member

Job Opportunities

Sign up for our Newsletter

Search

Website map

Brussels · Strasbourg · Alba Iulia

A Network, a Partner and a Voice of European regions, since 1985 · Copyright © 2021 · Assembly of European Regions · info@aer.eu · Log in