Programme under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Programme description
On 27 July 2007 the European Commission approved a Regional Operational Programme for the Autonomous Province of Bolzano in Italy for the period 2007-13. The Operational Programme falls within the framework laid out for the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective and has a total budget of around €75 million. Community assistance through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) amounts to some €26 million, which represents approximately 0.1% of the total EU investment earmarked for Italy under the Cohesion Policy 2007-13.
1. Aim and purpose of the programme
The overall objective of the Programme is to support environmental measures, with a special focus on promoting sustainable energy and clean urban transport investments which will contribute to the EU’s Kyoto commitments. The Programme will strengthen both supply and demand for technologies and services that impact less on the environment. It will also support improved business efficiency. In addition, the Programme will further develop the knowledge-based economy through more competitive structures, improved access to and efficient use of information and communication technologies (ICT), and the guarantee of environmental sustainability in line with the Alpine zone model. By promoting competitiveness, innovative economic structures and sustainable development, this Programme contributes fully to achieving the Lisbon Strategy targets.
2. Expected impact of investments
The Programme should create 100 new full-time jobs, most of them in the Research and Development (R&D) sector, and trigger a total investment of €75 million (almost three times the Community assistance). Renewable energy consumption is expected to reach 70% by 2015, while greenhouse gas emissions are expected to decrease by 7 000 tonnes/year. In addition, the Programme should see the quality of the environment protected and improved, with further resources mobilised for risk prevention and research into renewable energies.
3. Priorities
The Operational Programme is structured according to the following priorities:
Priority 1: Competitiveness of the economic system [approximately 36.5% of total funding]
This priority focuses its assistance on sustainable development strategies, innovation and the knowledge economy, in line with the Lisbon Strategy objectives. The priority will be pursued through support for R&D, enhancement of networking, agro-foods, clusters, creation of competence centres and the creation of innovative capacities directly linked to local economic development objectives. This will be achieved by supporting industry or technology-specific competence centres, promoting industrial Research and Technological Development (RTD) and increasing access to and take up of ICT.
Priority 2: Environmentally Sustainable Economic Growth [approximately 33.5% of total funding]
This priority aims to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, reflecting the province's objectives of environmental sustainability. The main activities under this priority are support for renewable energy, in particular solar and hydroelectric power, energy efficient and renewable energy technologies (hydrogenous experimentation) and the promotion of clean urban transport, particularly within Bolzano’s urban areas.
Priority 3: Natural Risk Prevention [approximately 26% of total funding]
This priority is focused on natural risk prevention, such as flooding. Most of the financial resources will be used to fund technical infrastructure for observing, detecting, monitoring, predicting and providing early warnings across a wide range of water-related hazards. Through this priority, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano aims to promote the protection and improvement of the environment and to prepare appropriate responses to environmental risk.
Priority 4: Technical Assistance [approximately 4% of total funding]
There is provision for technical assistance in order to implement the Programme. Financial support is available and covers administration, monitoring, evaluation and control and information and communication.
4. Managing Authority:
Financial information
Breakdown of finances by priority axis
| Priority Axis | EU Investment | National Public Contribution | Total Public Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitiveness of the Economic System | 9.498.023,00 | 17.847.173,00 | 27.345.196,00 |
| Environmentally Sustainable Economic Growth | 8.717.363,00 | 16.380.281,00 | 25.097.644,00 |
| Natural Risk Prevention | 6.765.715,00 | 12.713.054,00 | 19.478.769,00 |
| Technical Assistance | 1.040.880,00 | 1.955.855,00 | 2.996.735,00 |
| Total | 26.021.981,00 | 48.896.363,00 | 74.918.344,00 |