COCOF Guidance Notes 2007-2013

The Community Strategic Guidelines on Cohesion 2007-2013

COUNCIL DECISION of 6 October 2006 on Community strategic guidelines on cohesion (2006/702/EC) Full text of the decision on Eur-Lex

The Community Strategic Guidelines contain the principles and priorities of cohesion policy and suggest ways the European regions can take full advantage of the € 308 billion that has been made available for national and regional aid programmes over the next seven years. National authorities will use the guidelines as the basis for drafting their national strategic priorities and planning for 2007-2013, the so called National Strategic Reference Frameworks (NSRFs). According to the guidelines and in line with the renewed Lisbon strategy, programmes co-financed through the cohesion policy should seek to target resources on the following three priorities:

• improving the attractiveness of Member States, regions and cities by improving accessibility, ensuring adequate quality and level of services, and preserving their environmental potential;
• encouraging innovation, entrepreneurship and the growth of the knowledge economy by research and innovation capacities, including new information and communication technologies; and
• creating more and better jobs by attracting more people into employment entrepreneurial activity, improving adaptability of workers and enterprises and increasing investment in human capital.

The Guidelines seek to provide a balance between the twin objectives of the growth and jobs agenda and territorial cohesion. Thus, it is recognised that there can be no question of a “one size fits all” approach to the new programmes.