22. Considers it essential for the economic development of the region to create a favourable investment climate and calls on the Commission and Western Balkan states to work towards intensifying economic reforms by developing strategic development plans to implement investment projects of significance to the region as a whole;

O. whereas the accession of the Western Balkan states taken individually, even during the current financial framework, would not give rise to any statistical effect on the eligibility of Member State regions, nor would it lead to any dramatic financial impact on the cohesion policy of the current Union of 27 Member States due to their size, population and economic development; whereas Croatia, with which negotiations are the furthest advanced and which is even more developed in socio-economic ...[+++] terms than some current Member States, would, in comparative terms, represent the smallest financial burden for the Union, given the country's size, population and level of economic development and would not give rise to any statistical effect in relation to the eligible areas at regional and national level, even in the current financial period,

(1140) Hon. Lucienne Robillard (Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is concerned about economic development in all areas of the country and is using the economic strengths in every sector and in every region of the country.

3. Notes with concern the increasing economic and social asymmetry between Kaliningrad and its neighbours; welcomes the decision of the summit to implement a comprehensive package of measures in order to promote the development of the Kaliningrad region; encourages the EU and Russia to give a more concrete form to their plans for the economic and social development of ...[+++] Kaliningrad, including the financial aspects; calls on the Commission to play a more active role in support of the development of Kaliningrad; requests the Commission to present an action plan on Kaliningrad before July 2003;

In any case, for a member coming from Quebec and very familiar with regional tools like regional development councils, industrial associations, the general secretariat of foreign affairs, which make loans to businesses and work on domestic and international market development and prospecting with them- he knows full well that there is increasing co-operation in integrating structures, precisely because they decided that there were too many structures and players. The underlying reason why the regions decided to analyze their economic ...[+++] development strengths and weaknesses was to come up with strategic development plans to be shared through an integrated forum called the regional economic development council.

The IDO seeks to achieve eight inter-related economic development objectives for the Strathclyde economy, namely to : - Assist the development of industries which offer the most promissing opportunities for growth in the context of the post 1992 emergence of the Single Market in the Community. - Encourage the formation and subsequent growth of local enterprise, in particular small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and especially in growth sectors. - Assist local industry to introduce new technology into its products and production processes, in particular through better links with the higher education and research organisatio ...[+++]ns in the region. - Build on successes in attracting and expanding inward investment, particularly by overseas companies seeking a European manufacturing base, and by raising levels of research and product authority in existing international facilities in the Region/. - 2 - - Develop a vigorous tourist industry for the urban as well as rural parts of the area, attracting significantly larger numbers of international events and tourists. - Improve external communications to help industry meet the challenges and opportunities of the single market, and to reduce access costs to the market. - Create a modern "metropolitan heart", building on the established business, tourist and cultural centre of Glasgow as a source of growth for the whole region. - Reinforce efforts to change the region's image from that of a rundown, declining industrial region to that of a region with technologically progressive industries, strong cultural and environmental attractions, and a labour force equipped with the skills required for the 1990s.