7. Notes the fact that there was a slightly positive job creation rate in some Member States in the fourth quarter of 2013 and notes the increase in compensation per employee in almost all non-euro area Member States; is deeply concerned that in some cases there is a marked decline in job quality, an increase in precarious forms of employment and a deterioration in basic labour standards; stresses the fact that increases in compensation per employee through, inter alia, increases in productivity and investment, could be an objective for euro-area Membe ...[+++]r States; is deeply concerned by the continuing negative evolution of economic activity, with GDP in the euro area having decreased in 2013 for the second year in a row and unemployment rates reaching levels so high that even the stability of certain Member States in the euro area are endangered; finds it profoundly regrettable that the EU is far from achieving the employment and social targets of the Europe 2020 strategy, with, in particular, the poverty reduction target lagging behind, given that the number of people affected by poverty increased by 10 million between 2010 and 2012 rather than decreased;

4. Considers therefore that the objective must be to establish EU global leadership in ICT infrastructure; in order to achieve this objective, 100% of basic broadband coverage must be delivered to all Europeans by 2013, giving at least 2Mbps service to all users in rural areas and much higher speeds to users in other areas; draws the Commission's attention to the fact that, in order to counter a digital divide, basic coverage in rural areas will need to take account of increasing transmission requirements for innovative internet services such as e-government, e-health or e-learning; takes the view that, when considering how such targe ...[+++]ts should be funded, utmost account should be taken of competition in order to avoid market distortions and to allow the market to deliver solutions in the first instance;

I also support Mr Mastorakis's statement in his report about the shape of future Objective 2 areas, that is how they and the Objective 3 measures for disadvantaged groups are to be restructured, and welcome his comments on how eligibility for these measures will be determined.

In the case of regional policy this is done through regional programmes for Objective 1 and Objective 2 areas, and also under the Community initiative known as Interreg, particularly through the Alpine region programme.

It covers the coastal area, which is facing special difficulties due to the decline of the fishing industry and is therefore eligible under Objective 2 of the Structural Funds, and the Westhoek, a former Objective 5(b) area now eligible for transitional support.

The EAGGF guarantee is a means of financing, for example, export refunds, interventions by the various market organisations or the co-financing of supporting and other measures for the development of rural areas outside the Objective 1 regions.