More than 32.5 million Europeans can only enjoy a good meal every other day, according to the European Union (EU) annual report on the state of affairs of regions and cities, drawn up by the Committee of the Regions and released on Monday.
The report points to “drought, floods and the invasion of Ukraine” as the main factors exacerbating the food crisis, and points to Bulgaria as one of the countries where many citizens “only have the financial resources to prepare an adequate meal.” [com carne, frango ou peixe] every other day”.
In this case, he adds that the number of Bulgarians who only manage to eat a good meal every other day is 22%.
The summary of the report, released in Brussels on Monday as part of the European Week of Cities and Regions, which runs until Thursday, highlights the role of regions and municipalities in crisis management, seeing them as “fundamental” on issues such as the reception and integration of displaced persons, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused “the largest flow of displaced persons the European Union (EU) has ever experienced”, with more than 3.5 million of that country’s inhabitants spread across several Member States.
According to the report, “of the ten EU regions hosting the largest number of refugees, five come from Poland, four from Germany and one from the Czech Republic.
The survey conducted in the different countries resulted in the conclusion that 83% of local authorities (i.e. four out of five municipalities and regions) are willing to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine, ‘through material and financial assistance, twinning or exchange of support’. good exercises”.
In fact, in terms of ecological transition, the report makes clear that “climate disasters are increasingly affecting more regions” and that “the vast majority of local leaders regret the lack of dedicated financing mechanisms to meet the challenges of adapting to climate changes.” .
The EU estimates that it will be necessary to invest €40 million per year to respond to a 1.5 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures.
In a second chapter, the report evaluates the impact of cohesion policy on EU economies over the past 25 years as positive, estimating that every euro spent should generate an additional €2.8 in gross domestic product (GDP).
However, he warns that “major regional disparities still exist, and in some cases are even increasing”, as “33% of local and regional authorities are neither aware of nor taking advantage of financing options”.
The report warns of the need to give more visibility to cohesion policy, given the “long-term dissatisfaction” with areas that “feel left behind”.
In the survey, 41% of regions and municipalities defended the simplification of cohesion policy and 36% believe that improvements go hand in hand with increasing the visibility of this policy, admitting that the Committee of the Regions through the “Alliance for Cohesion” proposes a reform of this policy. policy “capable of helping every area and every person in the EU”.
Regarding EU funds, local leaders stated that they did not participate in the design of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (MRR), concluding that “this instrument continues to ignore the local dimension.
“Allowing local and regional authorities to propose the areas that should receive financial support is the most effective way to ensure that resources are used optimally,” the report concludes.
The document, which highlights the digital and ecological transition as “a crucial challenge” for the regions, also warns of the risk of depopulation of rural areas due to climate change.
It is estimated that between 1993 and 2033, 30 million people will leave the countryside, leading to a vicious circle of reduced investment in public services and the stagnation or decline of the economy, representing “a threat to European democracy”.
Source: DN
