• H2020
• Policy & Research

Corina Crețu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, has announced the adoption of strategic programmes that pave the way for EU investments in hundreds of cross-border and regional projects in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

The first of the EU’s cross-border co-operation programme is between Germany and the Netherlands, worth €444m. The scheme will invest in making the region’s SMEs more innovative and helping create a greener economy in the Dutch-German border region.

In the UK, a regional operational programme unleashes an investment package worth €1.8bn to west Wales and the valleys and €406m to east Wales. The investments, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), will help drive research and innovation, boost the competitiveness and access to finance for small businesses, and help further develop efficiency-driven and renewable energy projects. It will also support sustainable public transport systems, such as the metro in the Cardiff city area.

Commenting on the agreements, Crețu, said: “These programmes embody the true spirit of the reformed Cohesion Policy. They are about improved and more efficient co-operation and partnership. The Germany-Netherlands programme goes well beyond our co-financing requirements with 50% match-funding from the regional partners to our ERDF. This is a 60% increase compared to the 2007-2013 period and shows the true added value of co-operation across borders.”

The European Structural and Investment Funds comprise the ERDF, the European Social Fund, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The Structural Funds are complimentary and work in synergy with Horizon 2020, providing further research and innovation funding. Each EU member state has agreed a Partnership Agreement with the European Commission detailing a strategy for the use of Structural Funds.