In its first opinion, the Committee identified the challenges facing the Union (enlargement, globalisation, a growing dynamic between the centre and the periphery, macro-economic stability, etc.) and the consequences to be drawn; maintaining aid under Objective 1 beyond 2006; overcoming the negative statistical impact of enlargement on average per capita GDP; raising the ceiling set at 0.45% of GDP for the Structural Funds; creating a resource to stabilise regional income in the event of an unexpected economic shock; consolidating the programme of Community Initiatives; adopting an open method of coordination to deal with the probl ...[+++]ems of economic and social cohesion which the Objective 2 regions are experiencing, and giving priority to investment in the less-favoured regions.

My question to the Presidency and the Commission is therefore: when will we see tangible proposals for a mid-term review that will have an impact on the non-existent budget margins for the remaining three years of this financial perspective, where the current ceilings prevent any reasonable action being taken to tackle the challenges that cannot wait until after 2013 and also a proposal drawing up guidelines for a long-term budget reform?

In its first opinion, the Committee identified the challenges facing the Union (enlargement, globalisation, a growing dynamic between the centre and the periphery, macro-economic stability, etc.) and the consequences to be drawn; maintaining aid under Objective 1 beyond 2006; overcoming the negative statistical impact of enlargement on average per capita GDP; raising the ceiling set at 0.45% of GDP for the Structural Funds; creating a resource to stabilise regional income in the event of an unexpected economic shock; consolidating the programme of Community Initiatives; adopting an open method of coordination to deal with the probl ...[+++]ems of economic and social cohesion which the Objective 2 regions are experiencing, and giving priority to investment in the less-favoured regions.

The Committee points out the challenges confronting the EU (enlargement, globalisation, worsening of core-periphery imbalances, macroeconomic stability etc.) and goes on to sketch out the steps which in its view should be taken, in particular: maintenance of Objective 1 support after 2006; measures to overcome the negative statistical impact of enlargement on the average per capita GDP; raising the ceiling of 0.45% of GDP for the Structural Funds; establishing a budget instrument for stabilising regional income in the event of unforeseen economic shocks; strengthening the programme of Community initiatives; adopting an open method o ...[+++]f coordination to tackle Objective 2 regions' problems of economic and social cohesion; and giving priority to investments in disadvantaged areas.