IP/07/1195
Brussels, 31 July 2007
Cohesion policy 2007-2013: United Kingdom has plan and priorities agreed with EU Commission
The United Kingdom has reached agreement with Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner and Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla on its national plan and priorities for Cohesion Policy 2007-2013. In their National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), the United Kingdom authorities describe how they plan to invest €9.9 billion over seven years in line with the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs.
Danuta Hübner said: "This is good news – we have approved the UK's framework, which I know has strong support within the country after a thorough public consultation process. I am particularly impressed at the UK authorities' commitment to increasing investment in support of the EU's Agenda for Growth and Jobs." Speaking on the day the British army's operation in Northern Ireland ended after 38 years, Commissioner Hübner added: 'I am particularly pleased to be announcing this agreement today, and am certain the programmes that will follow from this framework will boost prospects for the people of Northern Ireland. Since 1995, the PEACE fund has been delivering sustainable benefits to the province. I saw a number of successful projects for myself when I paid a visit in June, and am glad to pledge further support to the area for the future."
Commissioner Špidla added: "The UK's strategy shows strong commitment to improving investment in human resources. Creating more, better jobs is at the heart of the European reform agenda. The UK's priorities will enable the workforce to upgrade its skills, boosting employment and enabling people to adapt to changing circumstances more easily."
The UK government plans to act on the broad priorities set out in the framework with 22 operational programmes.
Actions to promote the framework priorities come under the following headings and will help to support national strategies:
- Enterprise and Innovation: Promoting research, knowledge transfer and commercialisation of new products and services, encouraging entrepreneurship and supporting a thriving small and medium sized enterprises sector. For instance, in the South-West of England (under the Convergence Objective), the authorities will build upon the Combined Universities of Cornwall project and the experience of the "knowledge spa" centres which foster close ties between the academic and business sectors.
- Skills and Employment: Training a skilled, adaptable workforce, tackling obstacles in the workplace and supporting employment opportunities for all.
- The UK has already exceeded the three Lisbon employment targets (70% overall employment rate, 50% older worker employment rate, 60% female employment rate). The Government's aim is to reach an employment rate of 80% of the working-age population. To achieve this, a further 2.3 million people need to be recruited into work.
- Environmental and Community Sustainability: Encouraging innovation to support sustainability, ensuring sustainable development, production and consumption and promoting social and economic cohesion in local economies, including urban and rural areas. Programmes should support the UK Climate Change Programme, which emphasises the need for carbon reduction to go hand-in-hand with boosting competitiveness and economic growth.
Notes for editors
The United Kingdom sent its National Strategic Reference Framework to the European Commission in April 2007.
On Northern Ireland:
1. The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland (2007-2013) (PEACE III Programme) is a distinctive European Union Structural Funds Programme aimed at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful and stable society and promoting reconciliation. The 224.8 million euros of EU funding will assist Northern Ireland and the Border Region and specifically focus on reconciling communities and contributing towards a shared society.
2. In addition to PEACE funding for the future, the mainstream ERDF Regional Competitiveness and Employment programme will spend 306 million euros on promoting innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship and on improving accessibility and enhancing the environment in Northern Ireland.
3. Further funding will be made available to Northern Ireland through:
- The International Fund for Ireland (IFI) where the EU has committed €60 million to the International Fund for Ireland over the 2007-2010 period, promoting economic and social advancement and encouraging contact, dialogue and reconciliation between unionists and nationalists throughout Ireland
- Rural development through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The Rural Development Programmes in Ireland and Northern Ireland 2007-2013 will be the vehicle for the delivery of the 322.8million euros of EAFRD support;
- The sustainable development of the fisheries sector, fisheries areas and inland fisheries through the European Fisheries Fund.
Programming process
Each Member State prepares an NSRF coherent with the Community Strategic Guidelines for 2007-2013, in the course of an ongoing dialogue with the Commission. That document defines the strategy chosen by the State and proposes a list of Operational Programmes (OPs) that it plans to implement.
Negotiations on the 22 UK programmes are well advanced and approval can be
expected over the coming months. They comprise three convergence and two
phasing-out programmes, together with 16 regional competitiveness and employment
programmes and one in both the convergence and regional competitiveness and
employment objectives.
For more on programmes and objectives, go to:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/object/index_en.htm
As of today, 21 Member-States have had their frameworks officially validated by the Commission.
The Lisbon Agenda is an action and development plan of reforms set at the
Lisbon European Council in March 2000. The reforms are intended to implement the
EU’s strategic goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth,
with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. Progress is regularly
reviewed at Spring European Councils.
More on cohesion policy in the UK:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/atlas2007/fiche/uk_en.pdf
The
UK NSRF is available at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/consultations/page28796.html
Further
information about European Regional Policy:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm
Further information about European Employment, Social affairs and Equal
opportunities Policies is available at:
