The CoR plenary session adopted on 11 October the opinion of Mr Francesco Musotto, Member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, Italy, on the role of the complementarity of national and EU interventions in reducing the disparities in economic, social and territorial development. The opinion highlights the economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist in the European Union can be overcome only through integration, synergy and complementarity of national and European interventions inspired by values of practical solidarity. The Rapporteur points out that particular attention is to be paid to rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition, and regions that suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps such as the northernmost regions with very low population density and island, cross-border and mountain regions