Recent trends have revealed a trend towards increasing disparities in economic development, employment and well being between places and between people in Europe. The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the existing economic, social and health challenges regions, cities and local communities face and has left them with reduced financial means to start their recovery, thus potentially reinforcing existing disparities.
Today the members of the commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) adopted the draft opinion on "Equivalent standards of living as a joint challenge for all levels of government in Europe". The EPP-CoR rapporteur Bernd Lange (DE/EPP) highlighted that small and medium-sized towns and municipalities have been excluded from or overlooked by some EU funding programmes while structural policy focused on more densely populated urban areas. He wants to ensure that a high level of public infrastructure and public services are available in all Member States as well as all local and regional authorities. The rapporteur emphasises that living standards, quality of life and business development are highly dependent on the accessibility, affordability and quality of public services and infrastructure.
"I am pleased that we are talking about equivalent living conditions. Rural and urban areas are not in competition, we must not play them off against each other. We should rather work together at all administrative levels to promote a balanced territorial development in all Member States, regions and local authorities", said Bernd Lange, Head of Görlitz District Council.
COTER members also had a first exchange of views on the "Challenges for public transport in cities and metropolitan regions" with the rapporteur and the European Commission. Members debated the role of local and regional authorities in shaping urban mobility of the future, tackling problems like air pollution, capacity constraints or congestion. The decarbonisation of public transport and possible co-financing with the EU as well as problems triggered by the COVID-19 crisis were also among the topics discussed. The outcomes of the debate will feed into the draft opinion prepared by Adam Struzik (PL/EPP), Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship, which will be adopted at the next COTER meeting on 24 September 2020.
"Transport systems are the key to social, economic and territorial cohesion of European Union as well as for communication between urban centers. Local and regional authorities must face the challenge of increasing share of less cumbersome for the environment means of transport to provide access to goods and services for the communities. Primary step to achieve sustainable urban mobility and integration of public transport is optimal spatial planning and use of innovative technologies. There is a pressing need of taking actions to fulfill ambitious aims connected with decarbonisation and consistent shift to clean transport which are included in European Green Deal. Cohesion Fund and European Regional Development Fund have very important role in this matter as tools for creation of sustainable public transport for many EU regions." said Raporteur Adam Struzik during the debate