Smart EU investments in 2021-2027: Project EU XXI: Smart(er) Europe™, Social Europe™, Digital Europe™, Green(er) Europe™, Intelligent Europe™, Knowledge Europe™, Innovative Europe™, Inclusive Europe™, Sustainable Europe™, and Global Europe™
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InvestEU is expected to mobilise at least €650 billion in additional investment between 2021 and 2027.
The InvestEU Fund will support four main policy areas: sustainable infrastructure; research, innovation and digitisation; small and medium businesses; and social investment and skills.
€330 billion Regional Development and Cohesion Policy: Five main objectives to drive
Thematic Objectives (TOs) shall be reduced in number, from 11 to 5 (Paragraph 5, Title II proposed CPR). The new policy objectives shall now concern:
Smart Europe (innovation, digitalisation, support for SMEs) ;
Green Europe (carbon free economy, implementation of the Paris Agreement, renewables…);
Connected Europe (strategic transports and digital networks);
Social Europe (social rights, quality employment, education, social inclusion…);
Citizens’ Europe (supporting locally-led development strategies, urban development…).
Regional development investments will strongly focus on objectives 1 and 2. 65% to 85% of ERDF and Cohesion Fund resources will be allocated to these priorities, depending on Member States’ relative wealth.
Smarter Europe, through innovation, digitisation, economic transformation and support to small and medium-sized businesses
a Greener, carbon free Europe, implementing the Paris Agreement and investing in energy transition, renewables and the fight against climate change
a more Connected Europe, with strategic transport and digital networks
a more Social Europe, delivering on the European Pillar of Social Rights and supporting quality employment, education, skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare
a Europe closer to citizens, by supporting locally-led development strategies and sustainable urban development across the EU.
Cohesion Policy further supports locally-led development strategies and empowers local authorities in the management of the funds. The urban dimension of Cohesion Policy is strengthened, with 6% of the ERDF dedicated to sustainable urban development, and a new networking and capacity-building programme for urban authorities, the European Urban Initiative.
Other EU instruments are the Common Agricultural Policy, Horizon Europe, the LIFE programme, Erasmus+.
Interregional Innovative Investments
Regions with matching ‘smart specialisation’ assets will be given more support to build pan-European clusters in priority sectors such as big data, circular economy, advanced manufacturing or cybersecurity.
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/2021_2027/
Smart and Green Europe Original Sources
Smart Europe