Community regions: social and economic situation and development. 5th ERDF Report

The Opinion set out general comments on the following aspects: the degree of convergence in per capita GDP at the level of the Member States and at regional level, the level of unemployment at EU and at regional level, and the impact of the reformed Structural Funds on cohesion. The ESC called on the Commission to present in future periodic reports a general commentary indicating the impact that national policies were having on economic and social cohesion. In its conclusions, the ESC called on the Commission to provide further explanations for the actual pattern of economic development in the Objective 1 and 2 regions themselves and to give greater attention to the development of the Structural Funds in the context of national economic measures as well as external economic developments. The next periodic report should contain further analysis regarding the regional consequences of monetary union and enlargement, both internally and on their external partners. Similarly, the regional consequences of both the CAP reform and the trade liberalisation measures agreed upon at the Uruguay Round should be addressed in some detail.