​The Interregional Group on the Less Developed Regions which has been formally set up in March 2015 had its inaugural meeting today in Brussels. It aims to address the problems affecting this category of regions and provide its members the opportunity to foster contacts and exchange best practices besides communicating with the European Institutions.

Member of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions, José Antonio Monago Terraza (President of Extremadura) has been elected the President of this Interregional Group.

We present below an interview with Mr Monago Terraza on the less developed regions in Europe and the goals of the initiated group:

1. What is a less developed region and what features can be observed in Extremadura?

Europe is not uniform neither from the perspective of Member States nor from the regional level. It is important to note that Article 174 of the EU Treaty establishes reducing disparities between the levels of development of regions particularly disadvantaged as a particular target. The European cohesion policy defines the less developed regions as those ones with a GDP per capita below 75% of the EU average. Therefore, in the multiannual financial framework 2014-2020, the 72 European regions included in this category will receive over half of the total budget of cohesion policy.

Every European region has its own challenges and capabilities, but there are elements where we find a lot of similarities between Extremadura and other regions. Improving our transport links, making progress toward more innovative economies and facing demographic challenges are some of the elements where we have to work hard in the coming years and where funds from cohesion policy will be key.

2. Why do you think that this Interregional group of less developed regions is necessary and how it could help regional and local politicians to address the specific challenges faced by less developed regions?

Our slogan is ‘Growing by Sharing’ and sums up well what we do, which is to share experiences, best practices, joint diagnosis and to fix common positions with the target of growth of our regions and to improve the quality of life of our citizens.

It is very important that the regions where more than half of the funds from cohesion policy will be allocated not only are connected among them but also connected in an organized way with European institutions and with the Committee of the Regions itself.

We will work to promote exchanges between our universities, innovation centres, SMEs, government and civil society. We are convinced that this way of working will generate successful initiatives and projects. The more than 30 members from 11 Member States belonging to four different political families provide us an extraordinary diversity that will result in the quality of our work.

3. The Intergroup was formally approved at the extraordinary session of the Bureau in Riga (Latvia) in March. What are the next steps?

I would like to highlight the extraordinary reception given to the proposal for this intergroup by the President of the Committee of the Regions, Markku Markkula, and all the political groups. Once approved by the Bureau, we will hold its inaugural session next 17th April, coinciding with the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions. It is also important to note the willingness shown by the Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, for working closely with this group and so she communicated to me in her recent visit to my region, Extremadura. At our first meeting we will count on the presence of a representative of DG Regional and Urban Policy from the European Commission with whom we will continue to work closely from now, sharing our experience and know-how, and raising proposals and joint initiatives.  

Our first meeting will serve to approve the first working document and roadmap for the following sessions. Doubtlessly the implementation of the Regional Operational Programmes and the development of Smart Specialisation Strategies will be very present at this stage. We will strengthen our cooperation in drafting amendments to those opinions of the Committee related with issues of particular relevance to us.

4. The resolution of the CoR on the European Strategic Investment Fund noted that some Less Developed Regions suffer from the lack of a strong private sector. Do you think this will make it difficult for these regions get financial support from this fund?

Europe must go for growth policies; the Investment Plan is a need for the whole union and may represent a fundamental turning point. The growth and job creation are the ultimate objectives to be pursued by policies of fiscal consolidation, structural reforms and investments.

All European regions have made a major effort to identify objectives, key industries, competitive capabilities, etc. that are embodied in our smart specialization strategies. These strategies pursue the goals set in the Europe 2020 strategy to achieve smart, inclusive and sustainable growth. The Investment Plan must consider all this to ensure the aims of efficiency and effectiveness that all public investment should pursue because it is crucial to mobilize private investment.

Extremadura has internalised this message. We are aware that the best contribution of a regional government in the development of the territories is to create a clear, simple and effective legislative framework that serves to attract investors through the elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy and promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and the internationalization of our production. Only this way we will be able to overcome the disadvantages we start with, and highlight our competitive advantages contributing to economic, social and territorial cohesion of the European Union.

5. Do you think that solidarity should remain a cornerstone of Regional Policy in the next programming period with most of its funds for the less developed regions of the EU?

The words Union and Solidarity go hand in hand. Without the principle of territorial solidarity, Europe would be something very different from what we know, in social and economic terms, and would certainly be less competitive. The economic crisis has left many wounds in Europe, one of which is that it has been too questioned the concept of "European solidarity" so citizens have lost the sight one of the European Union's defining features. This has facilitated the progress of strong anti-European movements, both in the developed and less developed States-Regions. We all have to get citizens back to the perception the European Union as a positive and supportive process.