Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the 'Reform of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in the context of the political debate on the Agenda 2000 package'
Date: 1999-03-10
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, Structural Funds

14.7.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 198/1

II

(Preparatory Acts)

COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Reform of the Structural Funds and the
Cohesion Fund in the context of the political debate on the Agenda 2000 package’

(1999/C 198/01)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to its Bureau decision of 18 November 1998 instructing Commission 1 to draw up a
resolution on the reform of the Structural Funds;

having regard to the draft resolution adopted by Commission 1 at its meeting of 3 February 1999 (CdR
1/99 rev. 1; rapporteur: Mr Zaplana);

whereas at its September 1998 plenary session it adopted an opinion on the Proposal for a Council
Regulation (EC) laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (CdR 167/98 fin) (1); at its
November 1998 plenary session it adopted opinions on the Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC)
amending Regulation (EC) No 1164/98 establishing a Cohesion Fund (CdR 235/98 fin) (2), the Proposal
for a Council Regulation (EC) on the European Regional Development Fund (CdR 240/98 fin) (3), the
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) on the European Social Fund (CdR 155/98 fin) (4) and the Proposal
for a Council Regulation (EC) establishing an Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA)
(CdR 241/98 fin) (5); and at its January 1999 plenary session it adopted opinions on the Proposal for a
Council Regulation (EC) on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and
Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) (CdR 308/98 fin) (6) and the Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) on structural
measures in the fisheries sector (CdR 309/98 fin) (7);

whereas as it stated in point 1.1 of its opinion on the general regulation, the regulations proposed by the
European Commission fall within the general ambit of the Agenda 2000 legislative proposals and there
is a close link between the various aspects of Agenda 2000, its legislative proposals and the political
decisions to be taken;

whereas as it stated in points 1.2 and 1.3 of the abovementioned opinion, reform of structural policy will
play a key role in the decisions on Agenda 2000 because balanced economic and social development of
the Community — a basic objective of the Union — can only be achieved if regional imbalances are
corrected, pursuant to the solidarity principle;

whereas the discussions at the Vienna European Council in December 1998 regarding the Agenda 2000
proposals require a COR statement on the subject,

(1) OJ C 373, 2.12.1998, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 10.
(3) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 1.
(4) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 48.
(5) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 7.
(6) OJ C 93, 6.4.1999, p. 1.
(7) OJ C 93, 6.4.1999, p. 16.

C 198/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.7.1999

adopted the following resolution at its 28th plenary session of 10 and 11 March 1999 (meeting of 10
March).

The Committee of the Regions

1.
reiterates its support for the promotion of balanced,
sustainable economic and social development, founded on the
principle of solidarity, as a basic objective of the European
Union which can only be achieved by strengthening economic
and social cohesion, implementing and developing the prin-
ciple of subsidiarity and extending partnership arrangements to
the economic and social players involved in local development;

2.
declares that the citizens of Europe desire a Union based
on mutually supportive cooperation between Member States
and regions, with a view to the fair redistribution of wealth;
and that an effective EU structural policy is the principal
Community instrument of European solidarity, as it seeks to
reduce disparities between the levels of development of the
various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured
regions, and thus to improve the living conditions of the EU
population;

3.
supports the Vienna European Council conclusions
regarding the commitment to reach political agreement on the
Agenda 2000 package in March 1999 in order to achieve its
final adoption before the European Parliament elections in
June 1999, and points out that sufficient resources — without
any reduction — for the Structural Funds and the Cohesion
Fund are essential in order to achieve the economic growth
and employment objectives, as it is precisely this investment
which generates growth and employment;

calls on Member States’ political representatives, in their
4.
public discussions on Agenda 2000 and in the related revision
of the Community financing system, to take account inter alia
of
the principle of solidarity among Member States and
regions;

notes

the Commission proposal

5.
to continue with
Cohesion Fund assistance, and thinks that the Fund can also
play a useful role in future in reducing the infrastructure deficit
in the beneficiary countries;

Brussels, 10 March 1999.

6.
stresses that, following the advent of the single currency,
EU political debate must cover all the objectives enshrined in
the EU Treaty, such as those geared to the construction of a
social Europe, the promotion of balanced and sustainable
development and greater cohesion; and that EMU should be
viewed as an instrument for pursuing these objectives;

affirms its conviction that the policies contained in
7.
Agenda 2000 and, in particular, those regarding the Structural
Funds and the Cohesion Fund, are fully consistent with
other EU policies such as those for promoting employment,
competitiveness, research and development and the attainment
of a single currency, all of which are designed to further
integrate and strengthen the Union;

8.
emphasizes the need to strengthen the partnership
principle, to ensure local and regional authorities are actively
involved in all phases of intervention under Structural Funds
and rural policy, especially where this is designed to promote
the principle of integrated, pluri-annual global regional pro-
grammes, which are framed and administered at local level;

9.
calls on the representatives of the Member States who
are to attend the Berlin extraordinary summit in March to take
account, in their discussions, of the proposals set out in this
resolution and in the other COR opinions on Agenda 2000
because, in a field such as structural and cohesion policy which
is so vitally important for the future of the regions,
it is
essential that the Member States and the EU institutions heed
the voice of the legitimate representatives of the citizens of the
EU’s regions;

10.
Lastly, stresses the importance of the entire Agenda
2000 package. Enlargement to encompass the new applicant
countries is vital on security policy and democratic grounds
and will ultimately also benefit economic development in
Europe as a whole. The COR considers that the enlargement
process must reconcile the pursuit of an ongoing dynamic
structural policy in the existing Member States with a guarantee
of resources for future Member States.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Manfred DAMMEYER