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Verbatim report of proceedings
Thursday, 22 April 2004 - Strasbourg OJ edition

Vote (continuation)
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  Esclopé (EDD), in writing. (FR) A question mark may be placed over how useful the cohesion policy will prove to be in an enlarged Union. Even though the cohesion policy has been beneficial for certain countries such as Portugal, Spain or even Greece or Ireland in a Europe of 15 Member States, it can only arouse our concern in a Europe of 27 Member States. With a population increasing from 68 to 116 million people, socio-economic disparities will double and the average GDP of the Union will fall by 12.5%. What, moreover, can be said about employment in the current difficult context?

This enlargement can therefore only be accompanied by a general reduction in financing, in particular for the existing Member States.

Furthermore, the Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Traditions (CPNT) members of the Group for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities believe that the disappearance of the Community initiative known as Leader + is particularly regrettable since the cohesion policy will now focus on cities to the detriment of rural areas. The increasing desertification of these areas therefore appears, unfortunately, to be inevitable.

For all these reasons, we shall vote against this report.

 
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