Cohesion policy covers every region in the EU. 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.
General population criteria for the NUTS levels:
| Level | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| NUTS level 1 | 3 000 000 | 7 000 000 |
| NUTS level 2 | 800 000 | 3 000 000 |
| NUTS level 3 | 150 000 | 800 000 |
Full text of the regulation on Eur-Lex - List of eligible areas
