News story

Government discusses new approach for EU funding

The EU funds covered include the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural…

From:
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
Published
21 November 2012
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The EU funds covered include the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). These funds are the main European instruments for supporting local projects to increase jobs and growth.

The value of these funds for the next spending period (2014 - 2020) has not yet been decided, but the Government has been working with stakeholders on a more efficient mechanism for distributing the funds from 2014.

The proposals include ideas for using the different funds in a more complementary and integrated way. The Government also wants to make funding simpler to access and easier to operate for beneficiaries. Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) will be invited to be more closely involved in the process of distributing the funds. LEPs would bring together local authorities and local businesses, and can therefore design and deliver_ _investment strategies that target the needs of their local area.

The Government is particularly keen to hear from stakeholders such as local authorities, universities and the voluntary sector during the road shows.

Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon said:

“These EU funds help to boost growth and jobs across the UK and we need to make the most of them. For the next seven years it’s important that they are delivered in the most efficient way to ensure we get maximum impact for the investments being made.

“It’s vital we have discussions with the organisations that will deliver and benefit from these funds at an early stage.”

Following feedback from the road shows on the new model, a formal consultation will be launched in spring 2013.

**Notes to editors:

**

  1. The road shows start in Birmingham today (21 November). Subsequent road shows will take place at:

Leicester

22 November

Maidstone

26 November

Ipswich

30 November

Durham

3 December

Scarborough

4 December

Wakefield

5 December

London

7 December

Cornwall

11 December

Taunton

12 December

Reading

13 December

Preston

17 December

  1. Local Government representatives and other organisations have been invited to attend. If you wish to attend an upcoming road show please email: [structuralfundsnegotiations@bis.gsi.gov.uk](mailto:structuralfundsnegotiations@bis.gsi.gov.uk)

  2. The aim is to update stakeholders on the Government’s new approach to deliver the Funds and get feedback on the proposed model.

  3. The agreed model would apply from 2014 to 2020.

  4. Under the proposals a distinct rural development programme would continue to fund delivery of environmental objectives, enhance the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry industries and support rural communities.

  5. The Government’s economic policy objective is to achieve ‘strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries’. It set four ambitions in the ‘Plan for Growth’ (PDF 1.7MB), published at Budget 2011:

  • To create the most competitive tax system in the G20
  • To make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business
  • To encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy
  • To create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe.

Work is underway across Government to achieve these ambitions, including progress on more than 250 measures as part of the Growth Review. Developing an Industrial Strategy gives new impetus to this work by providing businesses, investors and the public with more clarity about the long-term direction in which the Government wants the economy to travel.

  1. BIS’s online newsroom contains the latest press notices and speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See [http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom](http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom) for more information.

Notes to Editors

Contact Information

Name BIS Press Office Job Title

Division Department for Business, Innovation & Skills Phone

Fax

Mobile

Email bispress.releases@bis.gsi.gov.uk

Name Jason Raj Job Title

Division Department for Business, Innovation & Skills Phone 020 7215 5978 Fax

Mobile

Email jason.raj@bis.gsi.gov.uk

Published 21 November 2012