• Regional Competitiveness Objective
• Territorial Co-operation Objective

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Structural Funds (SF) – 2007-2013

On 16 December 2005 the European Council reached political agreement on the EU Financial Perspectives for 2007-2013, with an overall budget of €862,363bn (1.045% of EU GNI).

European Cohesion policy will be driven by the Lisbon (competitiveness) and Gothenburg (sustainability) agendas, with the EU setting the ambitious goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. All regional or sub-regional programmes will need to clearly demonstrate how they contribute towards this aim. It will mean a significant increase in emphasis on competitiveness, innovation and the knowledge economy.

It has been agreed that European Cohesion policy 2007 –2013 will be delivered through the following three objectives:

• Convergence Objective to replace Objective 1 (regions under 75% of EU average GDP)
• Regional Competitiveness Objective to replace Objectives 2 and 3 (criteria to be determined by the Member States)
• Territorial Co-operation Objective to replace Interreg.

The South West regions will of course benefit from EU Structural Funds for the period 2007-2013. Future funding streams will be delivered through three related programmes:

• Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
• Competitiveness Programme for the South West (excluding Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly), funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
• Employment Programme for the South West, funded through the England European Social Fund (ESF) Operational Programme.

A total of £80m of ERDF funding has been allocated for the South West Competitiveness Programme and this will be complemented by £90m of ESF funding for learning and skills. These funds will be matched by a significant contribution of match funding from the UK public sector.

In addition to the above programmes, the South West is eligible to participate in activities funded with ERDF monies under the Territorial Co-operation Objective.

National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)

Under the terms of the new SF arrangements all EU Member States had to produce a National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) to set the broad national objectives for their future EU programmes. The British Government launched a national consultation on its NSRF on 28 February 2006, with a deadline of 20 May 2006. A consultation seminar organised for the South West Region took place in mid-April 2006.

Key agencies in the South West (GOSW, SWRDA, SWRA, LGA and the Local Authorities) have contributed towards the development of a Regional Framework, which is to be used for the deployment of Structural Funds in the region for the new programming period.

http://download.southwestrda.org.uk/file.asp?File=/policy-and-partnership/policy-and-partnership/April%2006%20-%20Final%20Draft%20SW%20COHESION%20FRAMEWORK%202007-2013.pdf

SCC is represented on the technical officer group that assisted with this development and has therefore contributed directly to the process.