"We need to promote growth and jobs and align the EUSBSR to the goal of Europe 2020. We also need to see that Member States and regions are showing a committment and involvemnet in the strategy." This was the clear message from the Director-General for Regional Policy, Walter Deffaa, when he analysed the revision of the actionplan for the EUSBSR in Annual Forum in Copenhagen.

He also asked all actors to have clear targets for all actions and told that all Member States in the regions must show their willingness to support the strategy in the partnership agreements that will be signed regarding the future period 2014-2020. Mr. Deffaa also underlined that the Commission is really happy to have been able to suggest a major increase of the ETC budget for the next period (+30 %) and hoped this will also help to implement the actions and support the development of the strategy.