IP/08/747
Brussels, 15 May 2008
Hübner welcomes innovation, climate change priorities in Sardinia's new Cohesion Policy programme
Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, today visits Sardinia at the invitation of Mr Renato Soru, President of the Region. Her visit marks the start of the region's new Cohesion Policy programmes, which put innovation and combating climate change at the top of the agenda. She will visit projects set up with EU co-funding, and meet regional government and council officials, as well as representatives of civil society.
'I welcome the way in which the region has taken on board new priorities for this programming period: now it is playing the innovation card to boost jobs and growth, as well as planning projects to counter climate change,' the Commissioner said ahead of her visit.
Sardinia's new programme for 2007-13, with EU investment worth EUR 681 million, will focus primarily on innovation (43%), rather than on infrastructure, as was the case for the previous period. A third of the investment available will be dedicated to meeting the challenge of climate change, and is intended to achieve a 26% decrease in carbon emissions by 2015. The focus is on renewable energies and energy efficiency, and sustainable transport (upgrading of regional rail and port systems, clean urban transport modes). Sardinia aims to provide broadband access for every school under a priority entitled “Information Society”.
Project visits
The Commissioner will visit the Science Park at Pula , opened in 2003 with EU co-funding. It now hosts 50 research institutes and companies that employ 500 people in fields such as Information Technology, biomedicine, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies (ERDF contribution: € 51 million). She will also visit the former Buggerru coalfield, now a cultural and tourism area (ERDF contribution: €1.38 million).
Notes for editors
Previous programming period (2000-2006): Sardinia received investment worth EUR 4.26 billion in total from the Structural Funds for the previous programming period, which draws to a close at the end of the year. Total payments have so far reached 76%, and the Commission is encouraging the region to make further efforts to invest remaining resources in good time.
The impact of EU investment to date has been evaluated. Among the results are: a boost to wastewater treatment capacity, from 71% of the total population in 1999 to 87.5% in 2005. Cut in urban transit times: Average journey times in Cagliari and Sassari have been cut by 30 minutes since the year 2000 thanks to investment in urban rail transit systems.
Hub for co-operation in Mediterranean
Sardinia has become a hub for cooperation in the Mediterranean region. The island is involved in the Italy-France (Maritime) cross-border programme, which is set to receive EU funding worth EUR 121 million.
Sardinia is also involved in a transnational programme covering the
Mediterranean. It has been designated as Managing Authority for the new
European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument “Mediterranean Sea
Basin” programme, with EUR 86.8 million of ERDF investment. The programme
has four priorities: economic and social development, environment, migratory
routes, and North-South contacts.
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