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Is my region covered? (2007-2013)

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.The EU is currently divided into 273 '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 2 800 000 150 000
NUTS level 3 3 million 800 000

See the map of regions covered by the Convergence and Regional Competitiveness and Employment objectives in 2007-13

Cohesion Policy eligibility 2007-2013

Regions covered by the Convergence objective

NUTS 2 regions with a per capita GDP less than 75% of the EU average.

  • Croatia: the whole country
  • 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

European Territorial Cooperation objective

  • Cross-border cooperation: NUTS 3 regions along the EU's internal land borders and some external land borders, as well as maritime borders separated by no more than 150 km.
Cross-border cooperation Maps
  • Transnational cooperation
Transnational cooperation Maps
  • Inter-regional cooperation: all regions in the EU.