Development programmes

1. The purpose and aim of the EU investment

The strategy of the operational programme is based mainly on:

• regional issues identified by analysis and diagnosis of the region’s weak points and areas of potential;
• the Community and national strategic framework, setting out the principles for the allocation of European funding.

Burgundy is a vast region (France's sixth-largest by area), but it is relatively sparsely populated (1.6 millions inhabitants). The region also lacks attractions and influence in economic terms. Geographically, it sits between two regions with great potential: Ile de France and Rhône-Alpes. Burgundy also has very modest population growth (+0.12 % between 1999 and 2006, ranking second-last of all the regions of France). That is why one of the major challenges is to find solutions that will keep the inhabitants in the region and attract an active population that can breathe new life into the local economy.

Burgundy is not home to any large industrial concerns and, while it is active in numerous economic sectors, it does not play a leading rôle in any. If it is to reverse the trend, therefore, the region will have to apply a number of key levers:

• skilled, adaptable human resources;
• innovation in key sectors (agri-food, mechanical engineering and metallurgy, plastics, health and digital technology);
• the structuring of tourism;
• the expansion of information and communication technology (ICT) services and uses;
• intermodal transport and renewable energies.

Faced with this challenge, the regional authorities have set out a strategy based on three priority objectives:

• to promote innovation and the knowledge-based economy;
• to improve environmental protection and risk prevention;
• to ensure that development areas are competitive and attractive.

2. The expected impact of the investment

Community funding should make it possible to:

• boost the potential for training, research and innovation by supporting 250 research and development (R&D) projects and 105 cooperation projects between businesses and research institutes so as to increase public and private R&D spending as a proportion of GDP by 1.25%, R&D personnel by 1.2% and the number of researchers to 2 400 by 2013;
• promote business development by supporting 140 investment aid projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) so as to create 1 400 jobs and increase the company start-up rate by 6 % per annum by 2013;
• improve environmental quality and ensure sustainable development for Burgundy by cutting greenhouse gas emissions (300 000 fewer tonnes of CO₂ by 2013) and raising awareness of clean technologies among businesses (3 000 awareness initiatives planned);
• enhance Burgundy's competitiveness by ensuring 100% high-speed Internet coverage for the region's enterprises and municipalities by 2013.

3. Priorities

The operational programme hinges on four priorities:

Priority 1: innovation and knowledge-based economy [approx. 49.7 % of total investment]

In innovation, the strategy in Burgundy aims to increase the coordination of economic operators, businesses and research and training bodies by focusing on centres with national and international visibility.

This will therefore involve:

• building up partnerships focused on Burgundy's leading technologies;
• boosting research potential by aiming for international excellence;
• offering quality support for innovative projects;
• making it easier to transfer projects to industry, and strengthening innovation governance.

Priority 2: better exploitation of environmental heritage [approx. 22.97 % of total investment]

Looking at environmental issues, the regional partners have been working since 2005 to put together a 'climate-energy' plan offering a coherent action framework for the coming seven years that will give everyone access to information on the environmental issues at stake and permit them to take action in their everyday life. The aim is to make Burgundy an example of citizenship and environmental responsibility.

Within this framework the programme has the following objectives:

• to promote energy efficiency and renewable energies;
• to safeguard water resources and water quality;
• to conserve biodiversity.
• to support regional ecological networks and promote clean technologies.

Priority 3: regional development [approx.25.7 % of total investment]

Where regional development is concerned, action in Burgundy aims to encourage the coherent creation of lasting jobs and activities across the region:

• putting an end to digital isolation;
• developing the intermodality of passenger and freight transport.

• using tourism and heritage as levers;

• supporting urban development;
• improving the quality of life in rural areas.

Priority 4: technical assistance [approx. 1.6 % of total investment]

Technical assistance will make it possible to co-finance activities relating to management, monitoring, organisation evaluation, information and communication.

4. Managing Authority: