Reports
Date: 31 oct 2012
Period: 2007-2013
Theme: Business support, Culture, Energy, Environment, Health, Rural development, Tourism, Transport, Urban development, Research and innnovation, Research & Development, Social inclusion, Jobs, Education and Training, Structural Funds management and Governance
Languages: en
2011 was the twelfth year in which Structural Funds programmes and projects for the 2000-2006 programming period were implemented. Full execution of the 2011 budget was achieved. In terms of payment appropriations, 100.0 % of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources were used.
In addition to the implementation of 2000-2006 Structural Funds programmes and projects and preparation for their closure, the Commission was also involved in the implementation of 434 programmes (317 under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and, 117 under the European Social Fund (ESF)[1] that relate to the 2007-2013 programming period.
Sharing of experience was promoted, notably through interregional and urban networks and the conference 'Regions for Economic Change: Fostering Smart and Sustainable Growth in Cities and Regions' on 23-24 June 2011. During this conference, 5 winners of the 'RegioStars' 2011 scheme were announced, following selection from among 66 applications. The objective of the RegioStars Awards is to identify good practices in regional development and to highlight original and innovative projects which could be attractive and inspiring to other regions.
The 9th edition of OPEN DAYS ‘European week of regions and cities’ organised jointly by the Commission and the Committee of the Regions took place on 10-13 October 2011. It brought together 5 700 local, regional, national and European decision-makers and experts in the field of regional and local development. The event is an arena for cooperation and networking, for sharing knowledge and experience, and allows regions and cities to showcase their achievements. It also offers the ideal opportunity to highlight the synergies between cohesion policy and other EU policies.
The Polish presidency organised a two-day conference (19-20 October 2011) on 'Catalysing reforms – ESF support for better governance'. Support for good governance was initiated in the financial period 2000-2006; a priority objective for the financial period 2007-2013 was to strengthen and implement it.
On the 17 November 2011 over 200 guests from 20 European countries participated in the range of European Public Sector Award (EPSA) 2011 events held in Maastricht under the auspices of the Polish Presidency. There were 274 applications coming from 32 European countries and 7 from EU institutions. Among these applications, EIPA could identify many good administrative capacity-building practices, a number of them being co-financed by ESF supportive action. EPSA seeks to create an arena in which Europe's public-sector institutions can excel and become an example to the rest of the world.