The new European Regional Development Fund DG REGIO

2 The economic logic of the new regional policy A new regional development policy: from comparative to competitive advantages from compensating disadvantages to supporting development opportunities from geographical to thematic concentration of interventions

3 The legislative architecture Regulation 1083/2006 [OJ L 210, ]: GENERAL PROVISIONS Regulation 1080/2006 [OJ L210, ]: ERDF Regulation 1084/2006 [OJ L210, ]: COHESION FUND Regulation 1081/2006 [OJ L210, ]: ESF INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT [OJ C 139, ] Commission Regulation: IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

4 The legislative architecture Regulation 1083/2006 [OJ L 210, ]: GENERAL PROVISIONS INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT [OJ C 139, ] ELIGIBILITY DECISIONS: Convergence [OJ L243, ] Phasing in [OJ L243, ] Cohesion Fund [OJ L243, ] Cooperation [...] FINANCIAL DECISIONS: Convergence [OJ L243, ] Competitiveness [OJ L243, ] Cooperation [OJ L247, ]

5 The legislative architecture What can you find in the new ERDF regulation: list of priorities for intervention (articles 4-6) list of non-eligible expenditure (article 7) treatment of specific situations (articles 8-11) specific provisions for the European territorial co-operation objective (articles 12-21)

6 Priorities THREE KEY PRIORITES: 1.Innovation and R&D 2.Environment and risk prevention 3.Accessibility... but actual policy mix should reflect analysis of the regional situation and available resources Articles 4-6

7 Priorities CONVERGENCE: a wider set of possibilities to reflect huge development needs and higher aid intensity (around 160 per year, per person) COMPETITIVENESS: focus on the three priorities + some flexibility to respond to specific situations (e.g. phasing in regions) COOPERATION: wider choice for cross-border (local), focus on three priorities for transnational, networks Article 4 Article 5 Article 6

8 Eligibility Eligibility of expenditure is determined by national legislation with exceptions: interests on debts purchase of land decomissioning of nuclear power stations recoverable value added tax housing Article 7 and Article 56.4 of the general regulation

9 Eligibility Housing is eligible, but: –only in recently acceded Member States –only as a component of a wider urban development plan targeted at distressed areas –only within the limits of 3% of ERDF programmes or 2% of total ERDF allocation (around 1.6 billion) –limited to multi-family housing and to buildings owned by public authorities or non-profit operators Article 7.2 and Chapter III.1 of the Commission implementing regulation

10 Territorial aspects Specific provisions Urban development integrated strategies (in addition to) raise flexibility to 15% Rural and fisheries clarify roles of different instruments Geographical and natural handicaps incentive to concentrate (without prejudice to) Outermost regions operation aid (minimum of 50%) Article 8 Article 9 Article 10 Article 11