All English regions are eligible for funding from the Competitiveness and
Employment Objective, except for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which
has Convergence funding.
This funding is used to meet the three objectives of Cohesion and Regional
policy:
- Convergence (ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund)
- Regional Competitiveness and Employment (ERDF and ESF)
- European Territorial Co-operation (ERDF)
Compared to the previous period 2000-06, the major changes to Cohesion and
Regional policy, are:
- More clearly focused on the renewed Growth and Jobs (Lisbon) Agenda,
thus stimulating more ownership of the agenda at regional and local level.
For instance the level of expenditure earmarked for the Lisbon Agenda in
the UK is 60 per cent for Convergence regions and 75 per cent for regions
under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective
- A more strategic approach with each Member State producing a National
Strategic Reference Framework
- Simpler and more efficient operation, for example, a new
proportionality principle means less bureaucracy, the number of programming
steps reduced from three to two, Member States and regions asked to take
more responsibility and be more transparent in their management of the
funds
