process of autonomy, launch a vital market economy and attract a suitable volume of direct investments. It will be up to the poorest countries to create conditions to encourage productive investments by setting up an adequate political and juridical framework. But all this increases, rather than diminishes, the need for official intervention because it would be unthinkable to rely exclusively on spontaneous economic forces to even out the appalling pre-existing inequalities. A net transfer of resources is needed now more than ever before. The most important idea derived from the experience of the 1970s is the as yet unattained goal of making a contribu tirn to development equal to 0. 7 per cent of the gross domestic product. The resources would have to be used for specific projects, but adequate means of distribution are equally indispensable; and to this end use could be made of a regional bank, such as the EUropean Bank for Reconstruction and ll9velopment, recently approved for the Eastern European countries. We for our part believe that a similar mechanism could also be considered for the Mediterranean area. And now I come to the role of Europe. The 12 countries of the European Community have responded to the quickening place of development by tightening their schedule for political integration. They have set 1992 as the time-limit not only for the creation of a single market but also as the date for initiating the irreversible process towards political union by instituting a monetary economic Jv-1 /8 A ,IS -18/PV. 3 35 (Mr. De Michelis, Italy) union and radical institutional reforms. The 'tWelve are also preparing to negotiate new forms of association with the rountr ies newly emerging from dictatorship so as to build an economy of continental dimensions based on free 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the process of autonomy and development of countries, focusing on the need for official intervention to address pre-existing inequalities and the importance of investments and economic integration. It also mentions the role of Europe in promoting economic development and integration. Based on this, it is likely that the text falls under the category of economic development.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade