– Funds earmarked for the Policy of Cohesion are thought of, in particular in the countries of the 'old' [EU-15] Member States, as an offering or charitable donation. Quite wrong, said Jarosław Pawłowski, Deputy Minister for Regional Development during panel discussion: The 2020 Europe Strategy and the Policy of Cohesion. These funds are granted not as aid, but rather for development, and their granting is the only means of progression.
The strategy provides for employment for people aged 20 to 26 at a level of 75 percent, at least 3 percent of GDP allocated for investment or reduction of the number of people threatened with poverty in the EU Member Countries from 80 million down to 60 million people. The main priorities of the Strategy consist of knowledge and innovation-based development, low-emission economy-based sustainable growth, and support of growth of employment, based on knowledge and innovation, enumerates Władysław Husejko, head of self-government of the Zachodniopomorskie voivodship.
– The purpose of the strategy is to be back on the path of economic development until 2020, says Marek Nawara, head of self-government of the Małopolskie voivodship. Thanks to the Policy of Cohesion, the management board of the małopolskie voivodship may now spend approximately PLN 420 million annually on the building of roads.
