Structural Funds

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The ERDF is a fund which focuses on addressing economic and social disparities between European regions/countries.

The ERDF funds target:

>Companies, in particular small medium enterprises, to help create sustainable jobs,

>Environmental, energy, transport, telecommunications and research/innovation infrastructures,

>Development support for, and collaboration links between regions and localities.

How does the ERDF work?

The European Union has a budget period of 7 years. This current period runs from 2007-2013. Prior to each budget period Member States agree with the European Commission what the ERDF will fund. These are set out in what are called ‘Operational Programmes’.

Through these programmes, governments implement large scale infrastructural projects managed by them – they often involve tendering and sub-contracting opportunities for private companies.

Companies can apply for funds through these Operational Programmes – calls are issued in the three objective areas. These are:

1. Convergence

Funding to modernise and diversify economies as well as to support employment in the following areas:

> Tourism;
> Information society;
> Innovation and entrepreneurship;
> Education;
> Energy;
> Culture;
> Environment;
> Health;
> Research and technological development;
> Risk prevention;
> Transport;

2. Regional Competitiveness and Employment

> Innovation and knowledge-based economy: strengthening regional capacities for research and technological development, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship and strengthening financial engineering notably for companies involved in knowledge-based economy;

> Environment and risk prevention: cleaning up polluted areas, boosting energy efficiency, promoting clean public transport within towns and drawing up plans to prevent and limit natural and technological risks;

> Access to transport and telecommunications services of general economic interest.

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3. European Territorial Cooperation

> Development of economic and social cross-border activities;

> Establishment and development of transnational cooperation, including bilateral cooperation between maritime regions;

> Increasing the efficiency of regional policy through interregional promotion and cooperation, the networking and exchange of experiences between regional and local authorities.

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