Structural Funds: outermost regions

PURPOSE: to present a Commission proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation 1260/1999/EC laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds. CONTENT: This proposed regulation concerns the maximum contribution from Strucutral Funds for the EU's outermost regions. The two main provisions of the proposed regulation stipulate the following: - setting the maximum contributions from the Strucutral Funds at 85% of the total eligible cost; - raising the maximum assistance from the Funds from 35% to 50% of the total eligible cost in the case of investments in small and medium-sized firms. �