The Structural Funds will be allocated to the EU regions for three objectives: “Convergence” (To which all EU Regions with a GNP below 75% the European average belong), “Regional Competitiveness and Employment“(for the Regions not included in the previous category) and “European Territorial Cooperation”. The Marche Region can benefit form the funds that have been allocated to the “Regional Competitiveness and Employment” as well as “European Territorial Cooperation”.

Specifically the objective “Regional Competitiveness and Employment” aims at strengthening competitiveness, ability to attract and employment to a regional level through the development of programmes targeted at aiding regions anticipate and promote the economic changes. The EU resources will be concentrated in order to support innovation, sustainable development and the creation of new jobs with specific interest in the investment in human resources.

In a European Union of 27 states 168 regions will be able to benefit from such financing for a total of 314 million inhabitants. The anticipated total is of € 49,1 billion Euros.

The legislative context is represented in the following regulations adopted by the European Council and Parliament in July 2006:

-        General Regulations

-        Regulations of the European Funds for regional development

-        Regulations of the European Social Funds

-        Regulations of the Cohesion Funds

-        Regulations that institutes a European Group for territorial cooperation

In the Regional Strategic Document the Regione Marche outlines the objectives of its regional EU policies co-financed by the Structural Funds. With reference to the socio-economic system of the Marche the following primary themes have been identified in order to attain the EU objectives:

-        Regional competitiveness (FESR Funding): innovation and the economy of knowledge, environment and the prevention of risks, accessibility to transport services and telecommunications.

-        Employment (FSE Funding): the augmentation in the participation of active life and the raising of employment levels, reduction of inequalities and social exclusion, the betterment of training standards, completion of the system reforms, augmentation of the adaptability of workers.

The attainment of the specific objectives in each primary theme is also possible through the use of ordinary resources, both regional and of the Fondo Aree Sottoutilizzate (FAS) - Fund for Underdeveloped Areas, that will be destined for “complimentary” interventions to the EU regional Policies.

At present there are two Regional Operational Plans in the process of being drawn up, both relative to the FESR and FSE . Also the Piano Regional di Azioni Innovative (PRAI) – Regional Plan for Innovative Activities, through the EU Funds for Regional Development, finances innovative projects.

Link: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/regulation/newregl0713_en.htm