European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): support to the European territorial cooperation goal 2014-2020
PURPOSE: to define the framework for economic, social and territorial cohesion for the period 2014-2020 (European territorial cooperation).
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) No 1299/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on specific provisions for the support from the European Regional Development Fund to the European territorial cooperation goal.
CONTENT: the Regulation is part of a package of measures relating to the cohesion policy comprising the following Regulations:
· Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.of the European Parliament and of the Council sets out the provisions common to five European structural and investment funds (ESI Funds);
· The Regulations specific to the five funds for the ERDF, the ESF, the Cohesion Fund, the European Territorial Cooperation and the European grouping of territorial cooperation (EGTC).
With the investment for growth and employment, European territorial cooperation is one of the objectives of the cohesion policy. This Regulation defines the scope of the ERDF so far as it concerns the objective, European territorial cooperation, and sets specific measures in relation to this objective.
Types de cooperation: ERDF supports the following components:
1)cross-border cooperation between adjacent regions in two or more Member States, separated by a land or maritime border, or between neighbouring border regions in at least one Member State and one third country on external borders of the Union;
Cross-border cooperation should aim to tackle common challenges identified jointly in the border regions, such as: poor accessibility, especially in relation to information and communication technologies (ICT) connectivity and transport infrastructure, declining local industries, an inappropriate business environment, lack of networks among local and regional administrations, low levels of research and innovation and take-up of ICT, environmental pollution, risk prevention, negative attitudes towards neighbouring country citizens.
2) transnational cooperation over larger transnational territories, involving national, regional and local partners and also covering maritime cross-border cooperation in cases not covered by cross-border cooperation, with a view to achieving a higher degree of territorial integration of those territories: the priority investments aim to enhance the institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and efficient public administration by promoting legal and administrative cooperation and cooperation between citizens and institutions.
3) interregional cooperation: it should aim to reinforce the effectiveness of cohesion policy by encouraging exchange of experience between regions on thematic objectives and urban development, including urban-rural linkages.
Geographical coverage: the regions to be supported are:
· the NUTS level 3 regions of the Union along all internal and external land borders other than those covered by programmes under the external financial instruments of the Union,
· all NUTS level 3 regions of the Union along maritime borders separated by a maximum of 150 km.
The Commission shall adopt a decision, by means of implementing acts, setting out the list of cross-border areas to receive support, broken down by cooperation programme.
When submitting draft cross-border cooperation programmes, Member States, in duly justified cases, and, in order to ensure the coherence of cross-border areas, may request the addition of NUTS level 3 regions other than those listed in the decision. The Commission may also include the outermost regions.
Resources: the resources for the European territorial cooperation goal shall amount to 2.75% of the global resources available for budgetary commitment from the ERDF, ESF and the Cohesion Fund for the 2014-2020 programming period, a total of EUR 8 948 259 330. The resources shall be allocated as follows:
· 74.05% (i.e., a total of EUR 6 626 631 760) for cross-border cooperation;
· 20.36% (i.e., a total of EUR 1 821 627 570) for transnational cooperation;
· 5.59% (i.e., a total of EUR 500 000 000) for interregional cooperation.
The Commission shall communicate to each Member State its share of the global amounts for cross-border and transnational cooperation, broken down by year.
Thematic concentration: at least 80% of the ERDF allocation to each cross-border cooperation and transnational programme shall be concentrated on a maximum of four of the thematic objectives announced in Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 on the common provisions relating to Structural and Investment Funds.
Cooperation programmes: cooperation programmes must contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy and to the realisation of economic, social and territorial cohesion. They must set out: a) a justification for the choice of thematic objectives, corresponding investment priorities and financial allocations, b) for each priority axis, the investment priorities, as well as the results expected for the specific objectives and corresponding performance indicators.
Participation of third countries: third countries will be allowed to participate in the transnational and interregional cooperation programmes by drawing on the resources of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) and the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI).
Management and evaluation: Member States participating in a cooperation programme shall designate a single managing authority, a single certifying authority; and, a single audit authority. The managing authority and the audit authority shall be located in the same Member State.
The managing authority should ensure that evaluations of cooperation programmes. At least once during the programming period, an evaluation should assess how the support provided has contributed to the achievement of objectives of the programme.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 21.12.2013.
DELEGATED ACTS: the Commission may adopt delegated acts in order to set out specific rules on amending common output indicators and on eligibility of expenditure. The power to adopt delegated acts shall be conferred on the Commission from 21 December 2013 to 31 December 2020. The European Parliament or the Council may object to a delegated act within a period of two months from the date of notification (this period can be extended for two months). If the European Parliament or the Council make objections, the delegated act will not enter into force.