Johannes Hahn : " We need a tailor made policy which brings tangible results for citizens"
Johannes Hahn has been the European Commissioner for Regional Policy since February 2010. He is a well-known politician in Austria, where he has been working for many years at local, regional and national levels. Here, he discusses cities’ assets and weaknesses, innovation, energy savings, cultural identities… and good restaurants. 
You had a rich and diverse professional life in Austria in private sector and as a politician. Why did you chose to become a European Commissioner in 2009 ?
I have always been a strong supporter of the European Union, as one of the greatest peace projects of our time. In my party, I belonged to the group of people, who actively sought Austrian membership of the European Union. It is a great honour for me to work for the EU, especially with this most interesting and challenging portfolio of regional policy. Because here, the European ideal is really being realised on the ground. It is also a job where I can use all my political experience from the past to help building a stronger Europe.
What are your main priorities ?
There are three important areas in which I would like regional policy to be more active and possibly stronger:
- First, regional policy should be "focussed in diversity". This means to better concentrate resources on few priorities and targets, while providing regions and countries with the margins needed to adjust programmes to specific needs. We need a tailor made policy which brings tangible results for citizens.
- Secondly, I want regional policy to be a catalyst. We now need to unlock the potential of every region to contribute to our society and economy. We need to consolidate the current objectives of cohesion policy : it means confirming the financial priority for the poorest regions, developing a fairer transition system, and strengthening interventions in the more developed areas.
- Thirdly, the regional policy should put cities stronger into its thematic focus. Therefore, the notion of territorial cohesion in the Lisbon Treaty needs to be filled with life. We need to develop an inclusive urban policy for a healthy and wealthy Europe, focusing for instance on investment in transport and energy savings in cities.
The future of cohesion policy is now in the spotlight. According to you, what will the regional policy look like in the coming years ?
Regional policy is an investment policy which should serve all European regions and cities. Our policy is an investment in Europe's future, not a charity. This particularly concerns the role of regional policy for delivering the Europe 2020 Strategy. With this strategy, we set ourselves the ambitious goal of recovering our economies and tackling future challenges at the same time. I believe that this link is vital to make growth in Europe greener, socially more inclusive and – after all – more sustainable. This cannot be done without the support of regions and cities.
Do you think the coming cohesion policy should make a specific place to cities ?
Yes, absolutely! We cannot build a successful European Union without cities. Therefore, cities will be vital for Europe 2020: first, because they have a unique potential for green and socially inclusive growth. It is in our cities that the greatest potential for energy saving lies – and it's also in the cities that social problems can be expected to hit the hardest.
The second reason is of course, that the necessary investments will require massive financial support. Especially to demonstrate the benefits of new energy schemes or social innovation. I believe that Cohesion policy and its solid financial instruments will have to play an important role in that sense.
As you know, URBACT allows European cities to work together to find concrete solutions to current challenges. You have a deep knowledge of these cities and especially of Vienna where you worked for a long time. According to you, what are their main assets today?
Today, over 70% of Europeans live in cities and more than 80% of the GDP is produced there. Cities are the drivers of regional, sometimes national economies. Innovation mostly happens in cities. But let's also not forget their integrating powers and their role for shaping cultural identities. These are strengths which are typically urban – and which should be used and developed for regional policy. We need cities for a healthy and wealthy Europe!
Their main weaknesses?
Social polarisation is definitely one of them, energy consumption may be another one. But let's take this question as an example: according to worldwide estimations, cities use about two thirds of the final energy demand and generate up to 70% of all CO2 emissions. To reduce these shares is indeed a challenge. However, cities are also part of the solution: thanks to their high density structure, they can be more energy-efficient than other areas and they have a high potential for real savings. Urban lifestyles also tend to be far less energy-intensive than others. For instance, city dwellers need to use their car far less than people living in rural environments. They also can benefit from common heating systems.
URBACT role is to develop an integrated approach of sustainable urban development. What does it mean for you?
For me, it is about the way in which urban development questions should be addressed. It is a holistic, cross-sectoral approach which ideally includes measures from different policy areas (local economy, social issues, environmental actions…). Plus: this approach is about developing strong partnerships between local stakeholders, different levels of administration and citizens. I can tell from my own experience with the Viennese URBAN Community Initiative programmes, that it brings a real added value.
When your Commissioner mandate will be over, what could make you say your mission was successful ?
To have put regional policy even more at the forefront of European politics. And to have made it more focused on innovation, energy savings and sustainable growth, as consumers are increasingly looking for energy savings and greener products. If we focus on this kind of production, the European Union can keep playing the role of international frontrunner.
And to conclude, what would your ideal city look like ?
It is a city in which citizens could say: This is where I live, where I work – and where I would like to stay. An open, lively city of which people can be proud of, with lots of chances and opportunities for employment, but where people can enjoy life as well. And it should have some nice restaurants, too!
Read more :
- Declaration to the European Parliament - website