Themes
EU cohesion funding supports projects in a wide range of areas.
Cohesion funding for 2021-2027 targets 5 policy objectives and 33 specific objectives. A specific focus is given to some types of regions and communities.
Addressing the specific needs of certain regions and communities
The EU is making specific efforts to support certain types of regions and communities:
- Europe's outermost regions
- Urban development
- Rural development
- Regions in candidate and potential candidate countries (Enlargement of the EU)
- Mountains, Islands and Sparsely Populated Areas
- Regions most affected by the transition towards climate neutrality
Themes for the ERDF
The ERDF supports primarily the themes below (the wording reflects the 2014-2020 period’s narrative, but covers both 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 periods)
- Research and innovation
- Information and communication technologies
- SME competitiveness
- Low carbon economy
- Climate change and risk prevention
- Environment and resource efficiency
- Transport and energy networks
- Employment and labour market
- Social inclusion
- Education and training
- Efficient public administration
The 2021–2027 mid-term review package modernises cohesion policy by addressing key strategic challenges:
- competitiveness
- defence and security
- water resilience
- energy transition
- affordable housing
Further fields of support
In addition, EU cohesion funding supports projects in the following fields: