ERDF – European Regional Development Fund – 2021-2027

The European Regional Development Fund is intended to help redressing the main regional imbalances in the Union through participation in the development and structural adjustment of regions whose development is lagging behind and in the conversion of declining industrial regions.

Objectives

• To continue to focus on tackling regional disparities and the challenges facing regions across Europe
• To continue and enhance thematic concentration on smart growth via smart specialisation strategies and on the low-carbon and circular economy
• To maintain support for inter-regional cooperation, extending this to smart specialisation
• To promote local development based on integrated territorial and local strategies and encourage sustainable urban development as well as capacity building in this field

Priorities

• To support a smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation:
  • enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
  • reaping the benefits of digitisation for citizens, companies and governments
  • enhancing growth and competitiveness of SMEs
  • developing skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship
• To support a greener, low-carbon Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate adaptation and risk prevention and management:
  • promoting energy efficiency measures
  • promoting renewable energy
  • developing smart energy systems, grids and storage at local level
  • promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and disaster resilience
  • promoting sustainable water management
  • promoting the transition to a circular economy
  • enhancing biodiversity, green infrastructure in the urban environment, and reducing pollution
• To support a more connected Europe by enhancing mobility and regional ICT connectivity:
  • enhancing digital connectivity
  • developing a sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent, secure and intermodal TEN-T
  • developing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility
  • promoting sustainable multimodal urban mobility
  • ‘a more social Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights’
• Tu support a more social Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights:
  • enhancing the effectiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social innovation and infrastructure
  • improving access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and life long learning through developing infrastructure
  • increasing the socioeconomic integration of marginalised communities, migrants and disadvantaged groups, through integrated measures including housing and social services
  • ensuring equal access to health care through developing infrastructure, including primary care
• To support a Europe closer to citizens by fostering the sustainable and integrated development of urban, rural and coastal areas and local initiatives:
  • fostering the integrated social, economic and environmental development, cultural heritage and security in urban areas
  • fostering the integrated social, economic and environmental local development, cultural heritage and security, including for rural and coastal areas also through community-led local development

Structure

• PO 1: A more competitive and smarter Europe
• PO 2: A greener, low carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy
• PO 3: A more connected Europe by enhancing mobility
• PO 4: A more social and inclusive Europe
• PO5: Europe closer to citizens by fostering the sustainable and integrated development of all types of territories

Financed actions

• Investments in infrastructure
• Investments in access to services
• Productive investments in SMEs
• Equipment, software and intangible assets
• Information, communication, studies, networking, cooperation, exchange of experience and activities involving clusters
• Technical assistance