First Minister’s Visit to Poitiers, France 2 December 2002

On 2 December I attended a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR) in Poitiers, central France. My visit was to discuss the implications of the invitation of the CPMR to become the organisation’s spokesperson on European Union regional policy issues.  I have accepted that invitation.

The CPMR was founded in St. Malo in 1973 on the initiative of the region of Brittany and thirty other regions which feared that their remoteness at the European level compared to the large economic centres in Europe could handicap their future economic and social development.  Since then the CPMR has grown to an organisation of over 150 regions and analogous administrations. Its goal is to promote the balanced development of the EU highlighting the value of all geographical areas with a view to strengthening its economic, social and territorial cohesion.

The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions as an organisation is anything but peripheral.  It represents a very powerful voice for the regions in Europe.  It has demonstrated its ability to access key players in the European Union in order to get the views of its members across and to help shape the future development of Europe. Its current President is Claudio Martini, directly elected President of the region of Tuscany.

This access provides an important opportunity for us. Since its creation, the Welsh Assembly has taken steps to be at the very heart of policy development within the European Union and our membership of the CPMR is central to our strategic approach to Europe.  The importance we attach to both devolved and non-devolved policy issues is demonstrated by the work of the Assembly’s European and External Affairs Standing Committee and by the establishment of our office in Brussels. I view the development of our membership of the CPMR as a central element of our strategic approach to Europe.

Along with the rest of the UK, we have championed EU enlargement and we have fostered relationships with regions such as Silesia in Poland.  We want the new member states to benefit fully from joining our club.  

But it is also vital that as a poorer region within a wealthier EU member state, we attend to our own needs.  This means working alongside the UK Government and the institutions of the EU.  We are privileged occasionally to represent the UK at EU Council meetings and, like all members of the CPMR, one of our major concerns is to ensure that our member state positions take note of our respective needs.


My role as the CPMR spokesperson on EU policy issues will be to
co-ordinate:

 The promotion and defence of the Conference’s positions vis-à-vis the decision makers at the European level ie the European Commission, European Parliament, Committee of the Regions, Members States, future Member States and the media.  

 Making CPMR member regions more aware of impending policy changes as they affect them and consulting them on appropriate responses.  

The aim is to see that the European Commission’s proposals due to be made in the autumn of 2003 concerning the future regional policy of the Union post 2006,  correspond as closely as possible to the concerns of the CPMR member regions and then that these proposals are accepted by the Member States during 2004 and 2005.

The role I have accepted comes at an important time in the reform of EU regional policy debate, with its strong focus on the future of EU structural funds.  We have been very honoured to have been invited to play this role within the Political Bureau of the CPMR.  It is a great compliment to the development of Wales’ role within the European Union.