2007-2013 Programmes : ERDF Programme
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is a vehicle for promoting the economic development and regeneration of defined areas within the Member States of the European Union.
Given that this may be the last substantial level of funding from the EU it is essential that the Programme aims to deliver lasting legacies to the region. The Programme can do this by making real contributions to tackle both the region-wide challenges of research and innovation and enterprise development as well as the localised challenges of urban and rural areas within the region.
The Lowlands and Uplands region has clear strengths and opportunities on which it can build, particularly with respect to its research and innovation, environmental and human capital resources. However, it is recognised that there are a range of significant weaknesses and challenges, deriving from low productivity, new firm formation rates, the commercial application of research and innovation, as well as the specific challenges for economic development in urban areas of high deprivation and rural areas facing low economic growth.
A number of key challenges have been identified for the ERDF Programme:
- Increasing the regional benefits of a strong higher and further education sector
- Improving RTD and innovation across the region
- Increasing the number of people becoming entrepreneurs
- Addressing the development bottlenecks for new and growing businesses
- Improving the indigenous enterprise development of the most disadvantaged urban communities
- Improving the ability of disadvantaged urban communities to access economic growth in the areas of opportunity
- Increasing the diversification of the rural economy into new activities, while supporting sustainable competitiveness of traditional industries
- Improving key support services to underpin the sustainability of rural economic development
The Programme will make its principal contributions and added value through:
- acting as a lever to encourage domestic resources to address the key development challenges
- investing in the key research and innovation sources in the regional economy and encouraging their greater use by enterprises
- promoting a more pro-active approach to research and innovation among all businesses
- increasing the level of new firm formation
- improving the conditions for indigenous economic growth in the most deprived urban areas
The ERDF Programme operates through four sets of Objectives to address market failures in the following areas:
Priority 1 - Research and Innovation
Priority 2 - Enterprise Growth
Priority 3 - Urban Regeneration
Priority 4 - Rural Development
The following sections detail the specific policy objectives under each of the Priorities.
A Summary of the Eligible Activities under each ERDF Priority is also available to download.
