Structural Funds 2014-2020 and Europe 2020 Strategy

Mirko Podda Almadén – April 2013

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Europe 2020 strategy

The key targets

The horizontal regulation

Principles of use of the funds

The Common Strategic Framework

Thematic Objectives

The ERDF

The ESF

The EAFRD

The Cohesion Fund

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Europe 2020 is the European Union’s ten-

year growth strategy which aim is to

address the shortcomings of our

development model and to create the

conditions for a different type of growth that

is:

smarter

more sustainable

more inclusive

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Five key targets to achieve by the end of the decade:

1. Employment

75% of the 20-64 year-olds to be employed 2. Education Reducing the rates of early school leaving

below 10% At least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing

third level education

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3. Research and Development – Innovation 3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in R&D

4. Climate change and energy sustainability Greenhouse gas emissions 20% lower than

1990 20% of energy from renewables 20% increase in energy efficiency

5. Fighting poverty and social exclusion At least 20 million fewer people in or at risk

of poverty and social exclusion

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In 2011 the European Commission has

presented with regard to the Cohesion

Policy a general regulation (called the

horizontal regulation) for the Funds

2014-2020 which sets out some general

programming criteria.

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The principles underlying the proposal are:

Strengthening of the partnership and

multi-level governance;

Coordination of cohesion policy with

those of rural development and with other

EU policies;

Definition of a limited number of

priorities and key policies, with respect

to which concentrate investments;

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A particular focus on sustainable

development which is a horizontal

principle that covers all funds;

Focus on results, which must be clearly

linked to the achievement of the targets

set in Europe 2020 strategy.

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The Common Strategic Framework has

been proposed by the European Commission

in March 2012. The CSF is intended by the

EU as a tool that ensures:

A coherent strategic planning for all the

funds;

The achievement of the targets of

Europe 2020.

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Essential in the Horizontal Regulation is the

enunciation of 11 thematic objectives that

derive from the three general priorities of

Europe 2020 (smart, sustainable and

inclusive growth).

These objectives are taken from the Common

Strategic Framework and represent the

cornerstones of the EU Strategy for the

Structural Funds 2014-2020.

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Europe 2020 priority: a smart growth

1. Enhance research, technological

development and innovation;

2. Improve access, use and quality of

information and communication

technologies;

3. Improve the competitiveness of SMEs and

the agricultural sector;

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Europe 2020 priority: a sustainable growth

4. Support the transition towards a low-carbon

economy in all sectors

5. Promote adaptation to climate change,

prevention and risk management

6. Protect the environment and promote the

efficient use of resources

7. Promote sustainable transport and removing

bottlenecks in network infrastructure

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Europe 2020 priority: an inclusive growth

8. Promote employment and supporting labor

mobility

9. Promote social inclusion and combating

poverty

10. Invest in education, skills and lifelong

learning

11. Improving institutional capacity and an

efficient public administration

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The European Rural Development Fund will

contribute to all thematic objectives and will

focus on:

The areas of investment linked to the context in

which businesses operate (infrastructure,

business services, business support, innovation,

ICT and research);

The provision of services to citizens in some

sectors (energy, online services, education,

infrastructure, health and social research,

accessibility, quality of the environment).

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The European Social Fund will go through four

thematic objectives:

employment and labor mobility;

education, skills and lifelong learning;

social inclusion and the fight against poverty;

the strengthening of administrative capacity (with

limited possibilities for the more developed

regions);

Other thematic objectives, aiming to build the

skills necessary for implementation of its actions.

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The European Agricultural Fund for Rural

Development will be based on six specific

priorities and will operate as a complement to

the ERDF and ESF in terms of:

Sector (agriculture and forestry) and

Territorial (the EAFRD will be responsible for

certain actions in the marginal and rural areas).

To the EAFRD, the Commission also assigns an

important role in achieving the Europe 2020

environmental objectives.

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The Cohesion Fund is aimed at reducing discrepancies of economic, social and territorial nature.

Investment priorities:

Major environmental and transport infrastructures.

In conjunction with the ESF and the ERDF, the Cohesion Fund contributes to accelerate growth and employment, encouraging investment in people and physical resources within the Convergence Objective regions.

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http://ec.europa.eu/

http://www.focuseurope.org/sito/

Thank you for your attention

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