|
The European Commission Wednesday set out 17 questions for a wider debate to address disparities across the continent.
Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner said key issues in the fourth report on economic and social cohesion will impact all countries, regardless of wealth.
After enlarging the number of member states the European Union has increasingly spent more money on lesser developed Eastern European countries such as Poland, its biggest beneficiary.
Hubner said regional disparities remain significant in the E.U., with regions in both new and old member states lagging behind the average in terms of GDP per head, which was EUR27 in 2004.
In terms of employment Hubner said 24 million new jobs have to be created if the bloc is to meet its Lisbon Strategy target of 70% employment. New jobs are needed in areas of Southern Italy and Spain as well as newer member states such as Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.
|
