CoR: €300m laser project shows how EU funds and partnership can drive regional development

The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Markku Markkula, has hailed a €300m EU-funded laser project in Romania arguing that it demonstrates how EU investment and working in partnership can stir innovation and regional development.

Accompanied by Romania's Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, Adrian Curaj, and Minister of European Funds, Aura Carmen Răducu, President Markkula visited the " Extreme Light Infrastructure" cross-border project which is hoped will eventually create the most powerful lasers in the world. President Markkula commented, "By working in tandem, central and local governments, universities and the business sector can lead cutting edge science. Smart specialisation can positively impact urban and rural development by investing EU structural funds in innovation."

During the one day trip to Bucharest, President Markkula also spoke alongside Romania's Prime Minister, Dacian Cioloș , at a conference organised by the Association of Romanian Communes. At the event both Emil Drăghici, the Association's President, and Alin Nica, Head of the CoR's Romania Delegation, stressed that rural areas had an important role for growth and increasing the quality of life in Romania. President Markkula supported this stating, "It is positive to see the work being done in Romania to tackle the rural-urban divide by promoting regionalisation and making the most of EU funding. We need to speed-up investment by simplifying the EU's cohesion policy, improve local administrations' capacity building and adjust public procurement rules"

President Markkula also welcomed Romania's efforts to support regionalisation during his bilateral meeting with Deputy Prime Minister, Vasile Dîncu, who was ready to use the CoR's knowledge to promote devolution and regionalisation in Romania. The Deputy Prime Minister commented, "Promoting regionalisation and supporting local governance is a major objective which is why we very much welcome the CoR's opinions. The Romanian government is making every effort to tackle bottlenecks, cut red tape, modernise public administrations and make EU investment support the most underdeveloped regions"