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Regional policy: realising the Europe 2020 strategy

Funding contributed to building the new light rail transit system in Dublin, which has proven a huge success since opening in 2004 Funding was used to set up the 'Maison des cultures', in Molenbeek, Brussels, a cultural centre for activities including dance, music, workshops and exhibitions New water services have been developed in the river basins of Eastern Latvia Industry and research work hand-in-hand at the Centre of Excellence in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Ljubljana Spain’s National Renewable Energy Centre (CENER) in Navarra promotes renewable energies worldwide The Romanian firm BIOTEHNOS modernises research laboratories and provides them with adequate equipment and devices in Bucharest-Ilfov The 'Stormwater' project in Etelä-Suomi is funding research into solutions for managing urban floods and pollution problems
With targeted regional investments in innovation and energy-efficiency, we want to realise the Europe 2020 Strategy; creating growth and new jobs and boosting the internal market.

Click on the photos above to see examples of the hundreds of thousands of projects that we invest in.

Europe faces big economic challenges and has to compete with new economic powers like China, India and Brazil. In order to keep Europe a frontrunner on a worldwide scale, we must invest well and wisely in new, innovative areas, like energy-efficiency. Only then can we make the difference and keep the European Union competitive. Regional policy is the key instrument to achieve this, in order to create economic growth and new jobs.

Regions, cities and smaller municipalities know best what are their needs and where good investments can pay off. That's why they are our partners in managing EU-funded projects. At the same time, the European Union has its blueprint for future economic growth with the Europe 2020 Strategy, drawn up at the request and with support of all Member States. This strategy aims at creating jobs and reducing poverty by investing smartly in energy-efficiency, research and innovation and modern and sustainable production methods. Combining this strategy with well aimed regional investments is the best way to give our economies the boost they need.

Regional funding has over the years brought big benefits to the European economy. It has created millions of new jobs, opened up entire regions by constructing motorways, railway lines and ports and invested in new, small companies. With the experience from the past, we want to focus regional funding in future on the Europe 2020 Strategy by setting clear targets for our investments.

By doing so, we will have an even more result oriented policy, which will deliver concrete projects to the benefit of all in the EU internal market. After all, nearly two thirds of exports of all Member States are within the Union itself. Regional investment leads to European progress.

In October we presented our new proposals for regional policy, for the next funding period of 2014 until 2020. They build on the basic principles we have already outlined end of 2010, in the 5th Cohesion Report of the European Commission. As of 2014 we want to sign an investment and development contract with every Member State and region. In this contract clear targets will be set for investments. These targets will have to be linked to a limited number of priorities, in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy.

We will ensure the Europe 2020 Strategy can effectively be realised on the ground. Regional policy will translate good ideas into concrete actions.
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News


Commissioner Hahn visited Dutch province of Noord-Brabant
06/02/2012
Commissioner Johannes Hahn addresses the audience during his visit at the High-tech Campus in Eindhoven

On Friday 3 February, Commissioner Johannes Hahn visited the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant, starting with a visit to the Tilburg University, where the cooperation between academia, the business world and regional and local political leaders was discussed.
He then went to the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, where with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) a state of the art research and development infrastructure has been set up [Read More]

Commissioner Hahn visited Dutch province of Noord-Brabant
03/02/2012

Cohesion Policy in support of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth PDF - SPEECH

Commissioner Hahn attends the Informal Competitiveness Council in Copenhagen
03/02/2012

On 2 February, Commissioner Hahn attended the Informal Competitiveness Council in Copenhagen where he delivered a key-note speech explaining the substantial role of regional funding for the development of research and innovation in the Member States : "The European Regional Development Fund is the largest source of funding for applied research and innovation in the less developed regions. Member States have allocated from the Cohesion Policy Funds 86 billion Euros for innovation – which represents 25% of the current Cohesion Policy budget", he said. [Read more]
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Region of the week


Noord-Brabant

Noord-Brabant (The Netherlands) - 02/02/2012

Commissioner Hahn will visit Noord-Brabant on 3 February. During his visit, he will attend a special session of the provincial parliament (Provinciale Staten) which will focus on the future of regional policy and he will meet several regional and national policymakers while visiting ERDF co-financed projects on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven.
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