About: EU structural funds

COVID-19: Commission paves way to draw €37 billion from structural funds

The European Commission proposed numerous changes to its cohesion policy rulebook on Thursday (2 April) in order to draw €37 billion of unused funds to finance various measures during the coronavirus pandemic. But these measures can only help to a limited extent. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU Parliament votes financial assistance for countries affected by COVID-19

Following an urgent procedure, the European Parliament on Thursday (26 March) almost unanimously backed two packages of financial support for countries affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Report: UK must replace €2bn EU cash with new regional funding

The UK government needs to provide £1.8 billion (€2.1 billion) per year to the poorest regions of the country to mitigate the loss of EU Cohesion funds, as part of a new Shared Prosperity Fund, according to a new report published on Friday (17 January).

Researcher: Lowering electricity taxes is cheapest way of meeting EU climate goals

The energy transition will hit the poor hardest unless it's balanced by a shift in taxation, says Christian Egenhofer. The EU needs to acknowledge this and get started by lowering taxes on electricity to achieve the EU’s carbon reduction goals at least cost, he argues.

EU Commission wants to support health systems better through structural funds

Many regions of Europe for poor medical care because there is a lack of doctors, money or infrastrcture. The Commission is now considering how the structural funds can help in a targeted way. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Environmental organisations ‘very disappointed’ with new ERDF Regulation

The European regional development fund currently amounts to €200 billion. German environmental organisations have criticised the fact that its new version sets the wrong priorities. EURACTIV Germany reports.

European Parliament votes for much greener cohesion policy

The European Parliament’s committee on regional development has voted on Cohesion policy regulation, and there is the clear intention of making Cohesion much greener from 2020. For the first time, there is also to be a ban on providing support for fossil fuels. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Study: EU regional policy influences how people vote

Voters who are aware of EU support in their region vote in larger number for pro-Europe politicians. However, EU structural funds remain largely unknown - and often inefficient. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Oettinger dismisses claims EU to blame for Italian bridge collapse

Brussels has recently encouraged Italy to increase expenditure in infrastructure, EU officials said on Thursday (16 August) in response to Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini’s allegations that the bloc's austerity policies were partly responsible for Italian bridge collapse. 

In Sète, EU funds help stop coastal erosion

A redevelopment project co-financed by the ERDF in the commune of Sète (France) aims to mitigate erosion which threatens the site. The fund contributes to projects on sensitive issues in the area by the Mediterranean, such as maritime pollution and sustainable tourism. EURACTIV.fr reports.

All quiet in the West while the East is advancing, study shows

Statistically, the economic gap between European regions is narrowing. Nevertheless, the abandoned regions remain left behind - and in Western Europe there is stagnation. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Minister: EU cohesion policy served Greece well, should be upgraded in future

The EU's cohesion policy supported Greece in its most serious crisis, demonstrating the value of the bloc's second-biggest funding scheme, Greece’s Alternate Economy Minister Alexis Charitsis told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

Financial instruments: A paradigm shift in the next EU budget

The (much) higher use of loans and guarantees foreseen in the MFF post-2020 will produce significant changes in the management model of EU funding, and could even herald a structural evolution in the European project as a whole, write Francesco Molica and Nikos Lampropoulos.

Beyond the CAP: Complementarity in EU rural development funding

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Many rural areas suffer from high levels of unemployment and lack vital infrastructure like high-speed internet and transport connections: the EU’s rural residents are up to twice as likely as city-dwellers to experience poverty or social exclusion.

UK regions left ‘hoping’ for funds after Brexit

Britain has guaranteed funding for beneficiaries of EU regional funds until the end of the current EU budget in 2020. But for the leaders of many research, education and employment programmes, life after Brexit is still a source of anxiety.

Academic: ‘Clear evidence that cohesion policy has a significant impact’

The EU’s cohesion policy, which aims at closing the development gap between rich and poor regions, has succeeded in boosting local growth although many people aren't aware of it, professor John Bachtler said in an interview with EURACTIV Greece.

Croatia to coach Bosnians on how to join the EU

Croatia, the European Union’s newest member, has pledged to help its neighbour, Bosnia and Herzegovina, follow in its footsteps and join the bloc as soon as possible.

Robert Madelin: ‘We have to assume the hardest possible Brexit’

The EU treaty mentions a two-year deadline for a member state to conclude negotiations to leave the European Union. But it also foresees possible extensions, opening the way for a follow-on process, says Robert Madelin, who just left the EU executive.

MEPs oppose ‘immoral’ suspension of EU funds for Spain and Portugal

A broad majority of MEPs spoke against freezing EU funds for Spain and Portugal at a European Parliament session late on Monday (3 October), saying such a decision would be “immoral”, “unfair”, “counterproductive” and even “illegal”.

Breweries, bakeries and brides: Where Italy spent its EU billions

The EU promised the south of Italy billions to promote research and innovation, but, as EURACTIV Germany reports, the money was spent on some strange projects...

Will Smart Specialisation impact Europe’s textile regions?

In the EU Cohesion Policy programming for 2014-2020, Smart Specialisation Strategies are a new tool for regions to design their investment in research and innovation. Europe’s leading textile regions united in RegioTex initiative to realise this potential, writes Lutz Walter.

Juncker ‘could have been more ambitious’ with investment plan

Bernard Soulage believes that the Juncker plan shows a lack of ambition. He told EURACTIV France that he hopes to see the French regions play a greater role in the investment plan's implementation. 

Cre?u: ‘I will cut financing to luxury investment’

"My intention as a social democrat is to cut financing of projects that involve luxury investments which are not absolutely necessary, like fitness and SPA centres," Corina Cre?u, the new Romanian commissioner for Regional Policy, told EURACTIV Romania in an exclusive interview.