In this respect they call, among other things, for actions to promote a more balanced, polycentric development, by developing the urban network at national and Community level, and for making strategic choices in identifying and strengthening growth poles and their contribution to the promotion of the Lisbon Strategy.

Under the framework for Community action on the trans-European transport network, the Agency is responsible for undertaking tasks related to the granting of Community financial aid pursuant to Regulations (EC) No 2236/95 and (EC) No 680/2007, with the exception of tasks which require discretionary powers in translating political choices (programming, establishing priorities, assessing the programme, etc.).

reviewing policies and improving communication by developing awareness raising, risk communication, training and education to give citizens the information they need to make better health choices, and to make sure that professionals in each field are alert to environment and health interactions:Action 9: Develop public health activities and networking on environmental health determinants through the public health programme; Action 10: Promote training of professionals and improve organisational capacity in environment and health by reviewing and adjusting risk reduction policy; Action 11: Coordinate ongoing risk reduction measures and fo ...[+++]cus on the priority diseases; Action 12: Improve indoor air quality; Action 13: Follow developments regarding electromagnetic fields.

European network for rural development At the same time as approving the first Leader II programmes, Mr Fischler also decided, as the result of a call for tenders, on the choice of a body which will assist the Commission in setting up the European Observatory for innovation and rural development and will take on a series of administrative and coordination tasks connected with the operation of the European Network for rural development which is the focus for the Leader II Initiative. The benefits provided by this body will be as follows: - collecting, preparing and disseminating information concerning, firstly, all the Community actions for rural developme ...[+++]nt and, secondly, the innovative and demonstration schemes financed by the Leader II Initiative or from other sources; - making use of and processing the evaluation work relating to each regional or national Leader II programme; - running the European Network for rural development, through the medium of advanced communication techniques (electronic mail), various publications, meetings and events, and providing technical support for national networks and non-governmental organizations necessary for the smooth operation of Leader II; - providing technical assistance to government services and regional and local authorities in the field of rural development; - providing technical assistance to facilitate the launching of transnational rural cooperation projects planned under Leader II. Commenting on these decisions, Mr Fischler said: "I am happy to see Leader II, the new Community Initiative for rural development, now taking shape. I wish it all success, just as Leader I was successful.

The communication likewise reviews Community operations in the fields of training, education and equal opportunities, especially through the setting up of a network concerned with broadening women's occupational choices/.- 2 - The communication proposes the development of a number of measures to respond to the problem analysed aimed at broadening occupational choices for women and girls.

In the immediate future, in accordance with the choice of projects adopted as priorities for Community action in support of transport infrastructures, the European high-speed train network will be a northern system with Paris as its hub which will link the capitals and cities of the industrial areas of northern Europe, as well as a system for the south which will draw the Mediterranean countries nearer to the northern network.