European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The ERDF aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions. The ERDF supports regional and local development by co-financing investments in R&D and innovation; climate change and environment; business support to SMEs; services of common economic interest; telecommunication, energy and transport infrastructures; health, education and social infrastructures; and sustainable urban development.


Objectives

The ERDF shall contribute to the financing of support which aims to reinforce economic, social and territorial cohesion by redressing the main regional imbalances through support for the development and structural adjustment of regional economies, including the conversion of declining industrial regions and regions lagging behind.

The ERDF should contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy, thus ensuring greater concentration of ERDF support on the priorities of the Union. According to the category of regions supported, the support from the ERDF should be concentrated on research and innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises and climate change mitigation. The degree of concentration should take into account the level of development of the region as well as the specific needs of regions whose GDP per capita for the 2007-13 period was less than 75% of the average GDP of the EU-25 for the reference period.

Status
running
Target Group
Organizations
Activities
Demonstration and investment activities
Subjects
Agriculture, food, fisheries, biotechnology, Business and economics, Regional, urban and rural development
Source Regions
European Union
Source Countries
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Eligible Regions
European Union
Eligible Countries
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Grant Types
Cooperation, collaboration
Funding Bodies
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Languages
Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish
Support Types
-
Deadline Date
-
Programme
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Programme Owner
European Commission
Managing Authority
Regional Policy Department
About
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Services
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Website
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf/
Legal Source
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Supporting Programme
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Resources
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/agriculture/general_framework/g24234_en.htm
Refering Grants
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Annual
yes
Focus

This objective has three main funding priorities:

  • innovation and the knowledge economy, including the improvement of regional R&TD; and innovation capacities, entrepreneurship and creation of new financial instruments for businesses;
  • environment and risk prevention, including restoring contaminated land, encouraging energy efficiency, promoting the use of clean technology in public transport and formulating plans to anticipate and manage natural and technology-related risks;
  • access to transport and telecommunications services of general economic interest, especially by improving secondary networks and encouraging access to information and communication technologies (ICT) for SMEs.
Duration

2014-2020

Proposal Submission

ERDF is implemented at a national level by a managing authority. Calls for proposals and tenders are published in the national language and potential applicants should contact the managing authority in his/her country for more information.
The mechanism proposed provides that:

  •  at least 80% of resources are focused on energy efficiency and renewables, research and innovation and SME support in more developed and transition regions of which 20% for energy efficiency and renewables. Given the ongoing restructuring needs in those regions phasing out from the Convergence objective, the minimum percentage shall be reduced to 60%.
  •  at least 50% of resources are focused on energy efficiency and renewables, research and innovation and SME support in less developed regions of which 6% for energy efficiency and renewables.


There will be an increased focus on sustainable urban developement, which is to be achieved through the earmarking of a minimum of 5% of ERDF resources for sustainable urban development, the establishment of an urban development platform to promote capacity building and exchange of experience, and the adoption of a list of cities where integrated actions for sustainable urban development will be implemented.

The operational programme must contain the following information:

  • an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the area covered by the cooperation;
  • justification for the priorities selected;
  • information on the priorities and the specific objectives of each;
  • a breakdown of the spheres of assistance by category;
  • a financing plan;
  • implementing rules;
  • an indicative list of major project

Supported activities

  • Productive investment, which contributes to creating and safeguarding sustainable jobs, through direct aid to investment in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
  • Investments in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens in the areas of energy, environment, transport, and information and communication technologies (ICT);
  • Investments in social, health and educational infrastructure;
  • Development of endogenous potential by supporting regional and local development and research and innovation. These measures shall include:
    • fixed investment in equipment and small-scale infrastructure;support for and services to enterprises, in particular SMEs;
    • support to public research and innovation bodies and investment in technology and applied research in enterprises;
    • networking, cooperation and exchange of experience between regions, towns, and relevant social, economic and environmental actors;
  • Technical assistance.

In more developed regions, the ERDF shall not support investments in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens in the areas of environment, transport, and ICT.


Implementation

ERDF is implemented at a national level by a managing authority. Calls for proposals and tenders are published in the national language and potential applicants should contact the managing authority in his/her country for more information.
The mechanism proposed provides that:
– at least 80% of resources are focused on energy efficiency and renewables, research and innovation and SME support in more developed and transition regions of which 20% for energy efficiency and renewables. Given the ongoing restructuring needs in those regions phasing out from the Convergence objective, the minimum percentage shall be reduced to 60%.
– at least 50% of resources are focused on energy efficiency and renewables, research and innovation and SME support in less developed regions of which 6% for energy efficiency and renewables.

There will be an increased focus on sustainable urban developement, which is to be achieved through the earmarking of a minimum of 5% of ERDF resources for sustainable urban development, the establishment of an urban development platform to promote capacity building and exchange of experience, and the adoption of a list of cities where integrated actions for sustainable urban development will be implemented.

 

Terms And Conditions

Legal basis: Regulation No 1301/2013
 

Budget

€ maximum 185,374 billion (regional convergence)

Available Calls
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Total Funding Amount
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Selection Criteria

All Member States. Legal entities.

Specific eligibility rules may apply.

Open To

Stakeholders frorm all EU Member States.

Notes
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