Is my region covered?
Every region in the EU is covered by two of three main objectives of cohesion policy (convergence, regional competitiveness and employment, and European territorial cooperation). However, most of the funds are targeted where they are most needed: at regions with a GDP per capita under 75% of the EU average.
How are regions defined? Cohesion policy uses the EU's NUTS system, which divides each country into three levels of statistical units (NUTS regions), according to population size. The EU is currently divided into 271 'level 2' regions, all of which are covered by cohesion policy.
General population criteria for the NUTS levels:
| Level | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| NUTS level 1 | 3 million | 7 million. |
| NUTS level 2 | 800 000 | 3 million |
| NUTS level 3 | 150 000 | 800 000 |
Regions covered by the Convergence objective
NUTS 2 regions with a per capita GDP less than 75% of the EU average.
- Bulgaria: the whole country
- Czech Republic: Střední Čechy, Jihozápad, Severozápad, Severovýchod, Jihovýchod, Střední Morava, Moravskoslezsko
- Germany: Brandenburg-Nordost, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Chemnitz, Dresden, Dessau, Magdeburg, Thüringen
- Estonia: the whole country
- Greece: Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki, Thessalia, Ipeiros, Ionia Nisia, Dytiki Ellada, Peloponnisos, Voreio Aigaio, Kriti
- Spain: Andalucía, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Galicia
- France: Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Réunion
- Hungary: Közép-Dunántúl, Nyugat-Dunántúl, Dél-Dunántúl, Észak-Magyarország, Észak-Alföld, Dél-Alföld
- Italy: Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicilia
- Latvia: the whole country
- Lithuania: the whole country
- Malta: the hole country
- Poland: the whole country
- Portugal: Norte, Centro, Alentejo, Região Autónoma dos Açores
- Romania: the whole country
- Slovenia: the whole country
- Slovakia: Západné Slovensko, Stredné Slovensko, Východné Slovensko
- United Kingdom: Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, West Wales and the Valleys
The following regions are receiving "phasing out" assistance (they were covered by the Convergence objective in the EU with 15 members, but not the EU with 25):
- Belgium: Province du Hainaut
- Germany: Brandenburg-Südwest, Lüneburg, Leipzig, Halle
- Greece: Kentriki Makedonia, Dytiki Makedonia, Attiki
- Spain: Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta, Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla, Principado de Asturias, Región de Murcia
- Italy: Basilicata
- Austria: Burgenland
- Portugal: Algarve
- United Kingdom: Highlands and Islands
Regions covered by the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective
All regions not covered by the Convergence objective or "phasing out" assistance.
Phasing-in assistance is available until 2013 for the following regions, whose GDP was below 75% of the average for the EU of 15 countries in the previous period (2000-06) but above it after 2007:
- Ireland: Border, Midland and Western
- Greece: Sterea Ellada, Notio Aigaio
- Spain: Canarias, Castilla y León, Comunidad Valenciana
- Italy: Sardegna
- Cyprus: the whole country
- Hungary: Közép-Magyarország
- Portugal: Região Autónoma da Madeira
- Finland: Itä-Suomi
- United Kingdom: Merseyside, South Yorkshire
).