During the seminar for representatives of regional offices in Brussels, on Monday the 24th November, Ms. Hübner, Commissioner responsible for Regional Policy, presented a Commission staff working document “Regions 2020: an assessment of future challenges for EU regions”.
This document is extremely important taking into account the economical crisis that the EU is facing. The crisis is a combination of a financial crisis and of structural weaknesses of our economies. In this sense, the big challenges for 2020 are very linked to our weaknesses.
The European Commission highlights 6 big challenges:
1. GDP per head: there is a big difference between western and eastern countries and we have to work for a harmonious development.
2. Globalisation vulnerability: Convergence Regions are very exposed to the negative effects of Globalisation, but also Competitiveness Regions. The workforce qualification is much linked to Globalisation vulnerability and for this reason already the Lisbon Strategy seeks to invest in human resources.
3. Demographic change: countries from central Europe, the North West of
Spain, South of Italy and the East of Germany are very vulnerable to the demographic change which is related to low salaries, high unemployment and low share of young people. So, the demographic change has links with social and economic situation.
4. Climate change: a total of 170 million people live in the regions most affected by climate change which means serious challenges to important
sectors like tourism or energy.
5. Energy: peripheral regions are particularly vulnerable for issues of supply. There is a need of supporting the development of renewable energy and of improving public transport.
6. Challenges in a general index: some regions will face combined challenges.
In order to face all these challenges, the Commissioner pointed out that we have to work more at local level and not just at regional level.
