These regions may be classed as: (a) industrial areas (8.5%) with unemployment rates higher than the Community average, with industrial employment greater than the Community average and in steady decline, (b) rural areas (5.2%) with a population density of fewer than 100 inhabitants per square kilometre, with an employment rate in the rural sector more than double the Community average, with an unemployment rate higher than the Community average and with a steadily declining population, (c) urban areas (1.9%) with long-term unemployment greater than the Community average, with a high level of poverty, with a particularly damaged social e ...[+++]nvironment, with a high crime rate, with low educational performance, (d) fisheries areas (0.3%), (e) mixed areas (2.1%).

10. Recognises that in the case of modernising efforts and economic performance, the countries that are most successful are those that combine forward-looking and well-balanced structural reforms with higher-than-average investment in research, development and innovation, education, lifelong learning and child-care, and the renewal of reliable social networks; notes that, for the most part, the same Member States have a highly efficient and transparent administration, with budget surpluses, lower-than-average debt rates, and high-quality, effective and targeted public spending, while showing signs of a contribution by technical progress ...[+++] to the national growth result that is almost twice the size of the EU average; notes, furthermore, that those "benchmark" Member States are, as a result of their high employment rates, including the employment of women and older workers, and their particularly high birth rates, those that are best prepared for an ageing society and for guaranteeing a high level of competitiveness;

10. Recognises that in the case of modernising efforts and economic performance, the countries that are most successful are those that combine forward-looking and well-balanced structural reforms with higher-than-average investment in research, development and innovation, education, lifelong learning and child-care, and the renewal of reliable social networks; notes that, for the most part, the same Member States have a highly efficient and transparent administration, with budget surpluses, lower-than-average debt rates, and high-quality, effective and targeted public spending, while showing signs of a contribution by technical progress ...[+++] to the national growth result that is almost twice the size of the EU average; notes, furthermore, that those "benchmark" Member States are, as a result of their high employment rates, including the employment of women and older workers, and their particularly high birth rates, those that are best prepared for an ageing society and for guaranteeing a high level of competitiveness;

10. Recognises that in the case of modernising efforts and economic performance, the countries that are most successful are those that combine forward-looking and well-balanced structural reforms with higher-than-average investment in research, development and innovation, education, lifelong learning and child-care, and the renewal of reliable social networks; notes that, for the most part, the same Member States have a highly efficient and transparent administration, with budget surpluses, lower than average debt rates, and high-quality, effective and targeted public spending, while showing signs of a contribution by technical progress ...[+++] to the national growth result that is almost twice the size of the EU average; notes, furthermore, that those ‘benchmark’ Member States are, as a result of their high employment rates, including the employment of women and older workers, and their particularly high birth rates, those that are best prepared for an ageing society and for guaranteeing a high level of competitiveness;

12. Points out that, in the case of modernising efforts and economic performance, the countries that are most successful are those that combine forward-looking and well-balanced structural reforms with higher-than-average investment in transport, information technology, research and development as well as innovation, education, lifelong learning and care facilities, and the renewal of reliable social networks; notes that, for the most part, the same Member States have a highly efficient and transparent administration, an innovative entrepreneurship environment, budget surpluses, lower-than-average debt rates and high-quality public spen ...[+++]ding, while showing signs of a contribution by technical progress to the national growth result that is almost twice the size of the EU average; concludes that those countries’ policies seeking to achieve high employment rates, including the employment of women and older workers, will enable the European Union to face with greater confidence present and future challenges such as an ageing population and growing competition as a result of globalisation;

In the various Member States the progress of the programmes was fairly uniform in terms of the commitment of appropriations although at 21% the rate in Ireland was considerably higher than the Community average of 9%, mainly because of better preparation in terms of the partnership (establishment and consultation of the Monitoring Committee) and the prior existence of eligible projects 'in reserve', awaiting co-financing.