The European Parliament adopted by 521 votes to 78
with 107 abstentions a resolution following the Commission
communication concerning the European Union Strategy for the Alpine
Region.
Members welcomed the communication from the Commission
and the accompanying action plan, while stressing that the
macro-regional strategy for the Alps could help to reverse the
economic decline through investment in research, innovation and
business support, taking into account the region’s unique
characteristics and assets. The Alpine region plays an important
role for the economic development of Member States and provides
numerous ecosystem services for the urban and peri-urban areas
adjoining it. The macro-strategy will affect 80 million people
living in 48 regions in seven countries, of which five are EU
Member States (Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia) and
two are non-EU countries (Liechtenstein and
Switzerland).
In this context, Parliament:
- called on Member States’ competent authorities
and the participating regions to align their national and
regional policies and funding arrangements, wherever
possible, to the actions and objectives of the European Union
Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP);
- called on the European Investment Bank (EIB),
in cooperation with the Commission, to examine the possibility of
setting up an investment platform for the Alpine region that would
enable mobilisation of funding from public and private
sources;
- was in favour of setting-up at macro-regional level of
a supporting implementation structure for the governing
bodies of EUSALP, in cooperation and agreement with the Commission,
Member States and regions;
- suggested launching appropriate information
campaigns regarding the EU strategy for Alpine
region.
Jobs, economic growth and innovation: Members made the following
recommendations:
- ensure active synergistic cooperation between farming
and other economic activities in protected areas (Natura 2000
sites, national parks, etc.), in order to develop integrated
tourism products, as well as the importance of preserving
and protecting the unique habitats of mountain regions;
- highlight the opportunities opened up by the strategy
for the development of its labour market, which
has different important levels of cross-border commuting, and
further diversify economic activities and employment opportunities
in the Alpine region;
- prioritise investment in digital
infrastructures and ensure quick and efficient access to
high-speed internet for people living in areas remote from large
urban centres;
- encourage competent authorities of the Alpine Member
States and regions to come together with the Commission to look
into the feasibility of carrying out during the next programming
period a joint programme to foster the integration of
research and innovation activities in the Alpine
area;
- provide opportunities to preserve, sustain, and adapt
where necessary, forms of traditional economic
activity, such as agriculture and forestry and craft-based
economic activities, as well as fostering innovation and the
development of new initiatives in this field;
- encourage the formulation
of tourism strategies based on existing natural
and cultural heritage, develop new tourism opportunities and
promote the development of soft and sustainable touristic
activities for the entire Alpine region, including in lake and spa
towns;
- protect the Alpine heritage and promoting
sustainable use of natural and cultural resources (environment,
cross-border terrestrial habitats and biodiversity);
- support measures to help ease
pressure on transport infrastructure.
Mobility and connectivity: Parliament called for a holistic
approach to the future design and implementation of Alpine
transport and environment policy. In this context, it
underlined the need to prioritise modal transfers with a view to
achieving a shift from road to rail, in particular for freight, and
asks the Commission to support this transition.
The Commission and Member States should
also:
- facilitate clean, low carbon and better
connections, notably for rail networks, at regional and local
level in order to enhance cohesion and quality of life in
mountainous areas;
- facilitate better digital
connections at regional and local level in order to
enhance the quality of life and promote the development of new
activities and the creation of job opportunities in these areas,
and to encourage resettlement.
The environment, biodiversity, climate change and
energy: cconcerned at the degradation
of ecosystems and the risk of natural disasters in certain parts of
the Alpine region, Parliament stressed the need to: (i) apply full
natural disaster risk management and climate change adaptation
strategies; (ii) develop and implement common contingency plans in
in response to cross-border pollution.
The resolution also recommended:
- joint efforts to introduce innovative measures for
preserving and maintaining biodiversity;
- promoting the self-generation of energy,
improving energy efficiency and supporting the development of the
most efficient renewable energy sources in the region, and the
development of forms of renewable energy specific to the Alps (such
as solar and wind energy);
- making joint efforts to implement spatial
planning and integrated territorial management.
The Commission was called upon to play an active role
in the implementation phase of EUSALP, and to submit, every two
years, a report on the implementation of EUSALP to the
Parliament and the Council, based on objective criteria and
measurable indicators.