European Parliament
Wenzel-Perillo (PPE-DE ),
draftsperson of the opinion of the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism
. –
(DE)
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, what I would like to say, as draftsperson of my Committee’s opinion, is that, where regional policy and the Structural Funds are concerned, most of the countries should, by the time they accede, already be in a position to transpose core areas of the
acquis
. It is to be regretted, though, that all of them need to make greater efforts in such important areas as financial management and financial control.
In the transport sector, it is the failure of the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary to make progress in road transport that is most disappointing of all. Further decisive action has to be taken to raise safety and environmental standards and to ensure conformity with the
acquis
As the trans-European transport networks are of great importance to the whole of Europe, not only the accession states, but also the Fifteen in the EU, need to be urged to regard the TENs not merely as a means of realising national priorities, but as making a contribution to European cohesion and to the integration of a reunited Europe.

