European structural and cohesion funds
These web pages give an overview of the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds in the UK. If you have any queries on this site please e-mail the Structural Funds team.
The Structural and Cohesion Funds are the European Union’s main financial instruments for supporting social and economic restructuring across the EU. They aim to reduce the disparities that exist between regions and improve employment opportunities. The three Funds are:
- European Regional Development Funds (ERDF)
- European Social Funds (ESF)
- Cohesion Funds – UK does not receive this Fund
On the 6 October 2011 the European Commission published draft regulations to govern the Structural and Cohesion Funds for 2014 to 2020. The UK response to the 5th Cohesion Report sets out the approach we will take to the negotiations. Negotiations on these regulations are currently taking place.
The regulations are:
- An overarching regulation setting out common rules governing the ERDF, ESF, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).
- Three specific regulations for the ERDF, the ESF and the Cohesion Fund.
- Two regulations dealing with the European Territorial Cooperation goal (ETC) and the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC).
On 14th March 2012 the Commission issued a Working Paper with further detail of how these funds could be more effectively implemented under a single Common Strategic Framework. In this paper it is proposed that each Member State would prepare a ’Partnership Agreement’ setting out how the Funds will address the EU challenges identified in the Common Strategic Framework as well as national bottlenecks to growth.
Any questions or comments on these regulations please contact Steve Cross.
If you have specific questions or comments on negotiations in relation to the EAFRD please see this page on the DEFRA web site and for EMFF, note this page on the DEFRA web site.
Implementing the 2014-2020 Funds
To inform the development of the UK’s Partnership Agreement the UK government has launched an informal consultation on the delivery of the EU Structural Funds, Rural Development Funds and Maritime and Fisheries Fund in England. Having taken into account the views of stakeholders and developments in the negotiations the Government will launch a formal public consultation in 2013 on the proposed approach the UK will take in the delivery of the Funds. Timing for this is tight but is required as the UK needs to be in a position to implement the new Funding structure by the start of 2014.
Informal consultation on the future delivery of EU Structural Funds, Rural Development Fund and Maritime and Fisheries Fund in England from 2014 to 2020
EU Funds covered in this consultation are:
- European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
- European Social Fund (ESF)
- Rural Development (EARDF) as part of the Common Agricultural Policy, and
- Maritime and Fisheries Funds (EMFF)
This consultation seeks to gather views on how we can more effectively exploit these Funds to drive sustainable jobs and growth and management of the natural environment in England. This consultation is relevant to a wide range of stakeholders in England including local authorities, universities, voluntary organisations, business, Local Enterprise Partnerships. The Scottish Welsh and Northern Irish Administrations are making their own consultation arrangements.
The deadline for responses is 27th April 2012.
