ESEP Download Resources : UP-date June 2009
Welcome to the June 2009 issue of UP-date, the e-Newsletter for the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programmes
PROGRAMME NEWS
Lowlands and Uplands Scotland ESF Strategic Projects
The Programme Monitoring Committee on 27 May 2009 approved two ESF strategic projects submitted under the Exceptional Project Procedure. This Procedure was approved by the PMC in November 2008 and was established in recognition that there may be special circumstances which prevent an application being submitted within the usual application deadlines, for example in response to economic turmoil, or large scale redundancy.
The projects approved are:
Scottish Government – Training for Work 2009/10
This project received an ESF grant of £2,793,706 to increase the support available through Training for Work (TfW) in response to the anticipated increase in people becoming unemployed over the coming months. It will target around 3000 individuals resident in eligible Priority 1 areas who are aged 18 or over and have been unemployed for at least 3 months. Changes to eligibility rules for TfW also means that early entry to the programme (from day one of unemployment) is available for specific vulnerable groups such as redundant workers, disabled people, and lone parents. The project aims to provide training and advice to enable individuals to secure employment or be ready to take up a job opportunity.
Scottish Government – Support for Redundant Modern Apprentices
This project received an ESF grant £652,260 to support 500 Modern Apprentices (MAs) who are being made redundant by their employers as a result of the current economic downturn. The project offers two main routes of support: i) the project will provide the Modern Apprentice with a service that will seek to secure an apprenticeship with an alternative employer; ii) where it is not possible to find an alternative employer, there will be provision of alternative training, for example finding the MA an alternative means of continuing their training, or provision of other training options tailored to the MA’s individual need.
Summer Events
ESEP Ltd will be holding a number of awareness-raising events in preparation for the Third Round of funding under the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland European Structural Funds Programmes.
Seminars will cover both ESF and ERDF and provide potential applicants with:
- An update of progress made to date in delivering the Programmes
- The current commitment levels and availability of funds under each Priority
- Details on the scope of eligible activities under each Priority
- An overview of the National Rules on Eligibility and compliance requirements under the Programmes
- Practical information on the stages and processes involved in applying for funding through the €UROSYS online applications system
Seminars have already taken place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Hawick, and will continue to be held on
- 2 July at Laichmoray Hotel, Elgin
For more information on venues and details of how to reserve a place on one of the seminars please visit the Events page.
Third Application Round
The Key Dates for the Third Application Round of the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programmes were agreed by the Programme Monitoring Committee (PMC) in March 2009.
Amendments to ERDF and ESF Regulations
Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 (ERDF) and No 1081/2006 (ESF) were published in the Official Journal on 21 May 2009 and these cover an extension of eligible costs under both funds. Specifically under ERDF, they will permit energy efficiency and renewable energy investments in housing (restricted to up to 4% of the ERDF programme allocation). The ESF amendment adds two additional forms of eligible costs, lump sums and flat-rate standard scales of unit cost. These amendments are currently under consideration by the Scottish Government and information on any impact for the Programmes and the National Rules will be circulated in due course.
OTHER NEWS
Extension to 2000-2006 ERDF Programme
The Scottish Government has given careful consideration to the option of extending the eligibility period of the 2000-2006 Structural Fund Programmes, as suggested by the European Commission. After assessing the merits of this option, and of front-loading spend in the 2007-2013 programmes on counter recessionary measures, it has been decided that concentrating on the 2007-2013 Programmes represents a more effective and secure use of available resources. Further details can be found on the Scottish Government website.
Update to Scottish Economic Recovery Programme
The current update of the Economic Recovery Programme sets out how the priorities identified in the Scottish Government’s Economic Strategy will drive growth by focusing on three key areas:
- Supporting jobs and our communities
- Strengthening education and skills
- Investing in innovation and the industries of the future
Scottish National Rural Network
A new network to help rural communities share ideas, experiences and information has been launched. The Scottish National Rural Network will promote national and regional events and be supported by a website within which communities can share common problems, examples of good practice and development ideas.
The website, the first of four to be set up in the UK will encourage links to other countries throughout the European Union. One of the first items on the website is the Rural Funding Opportunities Guide which contains details of the resources the Scottish Government is making available to rural communities. Angela Wiseman, Scottish National Rural Network Manager, has recently joined the LUPS Programme Monitoring Committee.
Town Centre Regeneration Fund
A Question and Answer page on Scottish Government’s £60m Town Centre Regeneration Fund is now available, along with a list of eligible towns. The deadline for the second round is 21 August 2009 and application forms and guidance can be downloaded from their website.
Achievements of EU Regional Policy
The Directorate-General for Regional Policy has recently produced a paper setting out the role and achievements of EU Regional Policy from 2004 to 2009. This five year period marks the mandate for the current European Commission. The first chapter looks at the main challenges facing Europe during the period. While Chapter Two summarises key achievements in response to the challenges, Chapter Three sketches out the steps being taken to prepare the ground for the future of regional policy.
