The role of inter-regional co-operation for agricultural and rural development

 

Doc. 7548

9 May 1996

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

presented by Mr SZAKAL and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.         Inter-regional co-operation can be an important instrument for the achievement of European integration and unity.

2.         This type of co-operation among rural regions is particularly well suited to fostering their economic, ecological, social and cultural performance and co-operation.

3.         Co-operation among neighbouring regions can foster the development of local markets for agricultural commodities, thus strengthening local production, transformation, storage and marketing capacities, resulting in increased economic benefit and diversified employment for the co-operating regions, this can have particular importance for neighbouring regions of the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe.

4.         Inter-regional co-operation involving regions which have a distance between them also fosters mutual understanding and can be highly beneficial for their development.

5.         The Assembly has itself sponsored a case-study involving one Eastern and one Western European region (Alsace (France) and Burgas (Bulgaria)) in order to better understand the political framework conditions for a successful East-West regional partnership for agricultural and rural development.

6.         It has taken note of several other bilateral and multilateral regional co-operation initiatives among member States.

7.         It welcomes the considerable contribution to the fostering of inter-regional co-operation made by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and by the Assembly of European Regions.

8.         All these experiences should be analysed in order to put forward new proposals for policy reforms aiming at strengthening European inter-regional co-operation for agricultural and rural development.

9.         Consequently the Assembly decides to undertake such an analysis in close co-operation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, and other organisations having a particular interest in this field, with a view to submitting proposals for the encouragement of European inter-regional co-operation.

Signed[1]:

Szak�l, Hungary, EDG

Tahiri, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, EDG

Telgmaa, Estonia, EDG

Moser, Bulgaria, PPE

Stiborov�, Czech Republic, SOC

Landsbergis, Lithuania, EDG

Alexander, United Kingdom, EDG

Zingeris, Lithuania, EDG

Suchocka, Poland, PPE

Jeszenszky, Hungary, EDG

Figel, Slovakia, PPE

Stretovych, Ukraine, PPE

Fenner, United Kingdom, EDG

Seiler, Switzerland, LDR

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[1]        SOC : Socialist Group

            EPP : Group of the European People's Party

            EDG : European Democratic Group

            LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

            UEL : Group of the Unified European Left