B3-0848, 0849, 0851 and 0871/93

Resolution on economic and social cohesion

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the significant differences in wealth between the Community's developed regions and its less-developed regions, some of which have an average per capita income less than one third that of the Community's most prosperous areas,

B.whereas the Maastricht Treaty gives economic and social cohesion a strategic role in promoting 'economic and social progress which is balanced and sustainable' throughout the Community and in particular sets its sights on reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least-favoured regions,

C.whereas under Article 130b of the EC Treaty the objective of cohesion must be pursued through convergence and coordination of the Member States' economic policies, the support of the Community's policies and actions and aid from the Structural Funds,

D.whereas the current economic slump renders the prospect of economic and social cohesion in the Community increasingly distant,

E.whereas unemployment problems, already most acute in the Community's less-developed regions, will become even more so as the current economic slump persists,

F.whereas economic growth alone will not solve the Community's fundamental unemployment problems, which are structural,

G.whereas it is both essential and a matter of urgency to give new direction to Community action in this field through full implementation of Article 130b of the EC Treaty, particularly the provision stating that the formulation and implementation of the Community's policies and actions and the implementation of the internal market shall take into account the objective of economic and social cohesion and contribute to its achievement,

1.Stresses that cohesion should be an objective common to national policies and Community policy and that the Community should ensure that national policies are consistent from the point of view of the Community's internal cohesion;

2.Calls on the Commission to propose and adopt measures designed to:

-check that existing Community legislation, policies and programmes are consistent with the objective of cohesion and make provision for their adjustment;

-guarantee effective political and administrative coordination by the Commission of measures in support of economic and social cohesion;

3.Calls on the Council to take the decisions needed to:

-promote consistency between Member States' policies and the objective of cohesion and their coordination with the Community's policies and actions;

-increase the contribution of Community policies and programmes to the achievement of the objective of cohesion;

4.Takes the view that all initiatives and measures must be provided for forthwith, so that, over and above the Structural Funds, a genuine balance may be achieved in the Community budget which will lead to economic and social cohesion;

5.Takes the view that the Community should promote trans-European cooperation among SMEs, include them in the social dialogue, and facilitate their access to Community R&D programmes, and calls on the Commission and Member States to examine the feasibility of simplifying further the administrative formalities which SMEs must complete;

6.Stresses that research and development are crucial to economic and social cohesion and industrial competitiveness and urges the Council rapidly to adopt the Fourth Framework Programme on research and technological development;

7.Calls on the Commission to look into the long-term implications of technical progress and international competitiveness for the level and structure of employment in the Community in the light of the objective of cohesion;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council.