Position Papers
2010 Position Papers
EU 2020 Strategy
EU Citizens Initiative
2009 Position Papers
Learning Mobility of Young People
POSITION - Green Paper on Promoting the Learning Mobility of Young People.pdf
Finacial Regulation
2008 Position Papers
Territorial
The European Commission are currently consulting on their Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion: turning territorial diversity into strength which closes on the 28 February 2009. The Green paper asks how we or if should define “Territorial Cohesion” when (or if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified and) it becomes a specific objective of the EU alongside economic and social cohesion. Given a lack of spatial planning practice history in the UK we feel a clear definition is needed to help understand the principle. We think this should focus on balanced and sustainable spatial, environmental, economic, and social development; supporting multi-level governance and the principle of subsidiarity; and celebrating diversity whilst harnessing economic opportunity and best-practice from all areas of the EU.
The European Commission ran a consultation on its Green Paper “Migration and Mobility: challenges and opportunities for EU education systems” which looks at the provision of education to children of migrants and to which we contributed in conjunction with the Centre for Scottish Public Policy (CSPP) and the University of Strathclyde. The consultation period is now closed as of the 31 December 2008. We ascertain that poorer level of education attainment by children of migrants remains a considerable policy challenge for the EU.
As part of the Scottish Government’s draft Action Plan for European Engagement, we have developed a position paper to submit to the Minister for Europe and Culture – Linda Fabiani MSP who came to speak to the Policy Board about the Action Plan on the 29 September 2008. Overall we are very supportive of the draft Action Plan with the only real criticism being that the five long-term political objectives are fairly narrow and therefore exclude large parts of Scottish interests. The challenge for the successful development of this strategy is to consider how the proposed “Team Scotland” approach is going to work in practice.
The Scottish Government has been coordinating a consultation on the Scottish element of the UK Operational Programme for the European Fisheries Fund which closed on the 27 June 2008. We are generally supportive of all the measures the Government has put forward to help with Scottish fishing, aquaculture and coastal communities and for the delivery of the Programme.
As part of the modernisation of the European Union’s policy agenda, a full and wide ranging review of the EU’s budget was launched he European Commission in 2008. The consultation period for what is a rare opportunity to feed into EU budgeting approach came to an end on the 15 June 2008. Our response focused on the need for simplification of the financial rules and to build in flexibility in budgeting. In addition we advocate that agriculture should take a cut in this review but there is still a role for market intervention in agriculture to ensure food supply and positively contribute to Europe’s bio-diversity. In addition we call for the transnational programmes to be better funded in years to come.
The European Commission has already began work in preparing for the EU cohesion policy beyond 2013. The first public consultation took place up an till the 31 January 2008. ESEC stressed the need for future rounds of cohesion policy to continue to focus on the creation of quality employment opportunities and areas where value can be added at the European level. We recognise that structural funding for EU-15 Countries is likely to diminish in coming years but suggests that achieving the long term goals of the European Union in areas such as climate change and supporting inward and outward migration to enhance prosperity should be a priority for the EU. The future cohesion policy should support activity that demonstrates European value added.
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