When the AER President, Riccardo Illy, declares
that "The major advantage of Europe, in terms of competitiveness,
is its diversity", what he is highlighting is the extent of the
task facing us to take full benefit of our experience, our history and
the possibility for joint projects. He also refers to the need to
collectively search for the means to allow young adults to receive
training and conquer new markets in Asia, America and India.
It is clear that the EU internal market is the
base for Europe. However, to allow Europe to fulfil its potential, it
is indispensable to remove all barriers and assign more power to the
Regions. A new instrument now exists - the European Groupings of
Territorial Cooperation. These groupings provide a legal framework for
inter-regional cooperation and automatically integrate local and
regional authorities in EU candidate countries.
Klaus Klipp, Secretary General of the AER has
presented the long-term strategy of the AER, which aims to be a vehicle
for bringing the citizens closer together, for example through its
activities for young people. The United States currently appears wary
of growing integration within the European Union, which would represent
a loss of sovereignty. To date, the regulating activities of the
European Union are apparently prevailing over the fundamental values of
the Union. The different European structures (Commission, Parliament,
national governments) and the political actors, are currently having
difficulty in establishing a fertile political vision for the European
Union. The Regions and local authorities apply European rules on a
daily basis and are the best placed to propose a credible alternative,
allowing the citizens to meet the challenges of globalisation within a
protected European area.
Michèle Sabban, AER Vice-President, chairs
the working group on Equal Opportunities with elegance and
determination. She aims to achieve four objectives this year, in terms
of rights, representation, recognition and respect, and reiterates that
solutions are not only found on anniversaries, but on a daily basis.
However, we must never forget that, for the
founders of Europe, Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer,
Alcide De Gasperi, and Paul Henri Spaak, the European plan was
primarily a project for peace. At a time of globalisation, Europe means
the future, growth, employment for all and peace. This dream is
becoming reality, thanks to this beautiful mosaic of Regions which has
never ceased its cultural and economic development since the era of the
troubadours.
Let us be proud to be European, so that we may
better confirm our regional identities and support our young adults.
Henry JURQUET
Director of publication and Editor in chief:Henry Jurquet
16, grand’rue - 34800 Brignac
Tél. (33) 04 99 91 49 50
Fax (33) 04 99 91 49 51
Assistant managing Editor in chief:
Rédactrice en Chef : Maud Vuillardot
AER Editor: Francine Huhardeaux and Patricia Molina
Editorial staff:
Pierre Capdeville,
Henri Decorbières, Maud Vuillardot
Translations:
From French into English: Juce Evans
From English into French: Maud Vuillardot
Copyrights:
ARE -
Régions Magazine - D.R.
Photo Henry Jurquet :
D. Thion
Accounts: Nathalie Viala
Production - editing:
FMI
16, grand’rue - 34800 Brignac
Tél. : (33) 04 99 91 49 50
Télécopie : (33) 04 99 91 49 51
CAP: Florent Bec
Web Publication: Florent
Bec
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ISSN: 0986 - 1726 - Legal submission: Special
Issue, April 2007
