11. Recognises, therefore, the need to ensure, on the one hand, that the adaptation strategy is integrated into European Union policies, with a special focus on the coordination of actions and measures under the EU’s agricultural, regional and environmental policies, and, on the other hand, that these policies are consistent with the adaptation strategy; emphasises the key role played by local and regional authorities and the need for a bottom-up approach taking account of the differences among natural habitats in Europe, in full accordance with the subsidiarity principle; is convinced that loc ...[+++]al authorities will be better equipped to find political solutions to their own needs;

17. Strongly opposes, however, any re-nationalisation of agricultural policies; considers, nonetheless, that, in accordance with the subsidiarity principle, scope should be permitted for the pursuit of regional farm policies by Member States and regional authorities and that Member States and regional authorities should be given the opportunity to respond appropriately to their specific situations by means of their own activities; stresses that the common character of agricultural ...[+++] policy avoids distortion of competition within the internal market and generates savings for European taxpayers;

CAP policies and resources must help to make farms more competitive, strengthen rural and regional policies and achieve greater cohesion with other Community policy areas.

– Thirdly, I would like to remind you that after 2006, LEADER must no longer merely be a Community pilot initiative but must form a rural development component of the CAP, which I think should be called the “common agricultural, regional and rural policy”.

The report also reflected other concerns: taking account of other indicators than GDP to determine eligibility for Structural Fund assistance; improve the consistency of employment policy, the common agricultural policy, environmental policy, transport policy and economic policy with a view to sustainable regional development; increasing the administrative capacity of the applicant countries; defining the more flexible methods of implementing assistance with a view to gradual decentralisation of the management of the Funds, subject ...[+++] to effective and rigorous monitoring; raising the assistance for regional competitiveness; allowing the regions to implement their own development strategies; introducing the principle "one programme - one Fund", by giving more responsibility to the regions for implementation.

Your rapporteur takes the view that a clear link must be established between the EU's nature conservation measures in protected areas and other measures which affect the environment, because it is essential, for example, that EU agricultural, regional and transport policies are adapted so that they respect biodiversity.