16/11/2007
Danuta Hübner takes part in Commission on Growth and Development in China

Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Development Policy, is one of 21 high-level experts at the Commission on Growth and Development meeting in Suzhou, China, 12-15 November. The group, meeting in China at the invitation of Central Bank Governor Zhou, will discuss development issues under the chairmanship of Nobel Laureate Michael Spence and will work on a draft final report on driving economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries.

Commenting on her work with the group, Ms Hübner said: "The opportunities that globalisation offers can reduce poverty, but can also lead to disparities. The real challenge in development policy is how to mobilise the existing potential in order to achieve sustainable endogenous growth. Our EU regional policy experience is useful in this reflection process."

The Commission on Growth and Development, launched in April 2006 by Paul Wolfowitz under the auspices of the World Bank is working over a two-year period to deepen the understanding of economic growth for development and poverty reduction. It aims to highlight policy actions which are likely to improve developing countries' growth prospects. The group of experts includes practitioners from government, business and policy-making.

The group's next meeting takes place in Washington next year, and the final report will be released in June 2008.

The Commission on Growth and Development is supported by the Governments of Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, and United Kingdom, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the World Bank.
Further details on the members of the Growth and Development Commission:

www.growthcommission.org.
Further information about European Regional Policy:

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm