Cohesie beleid 2007-2013: Europese Commissie keurt nationale strategie Portugal goed (en)
Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner and Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Spidla have reached agreement with Portugal on its national plan and priorities for Cohesion policy 2007-2013. In their National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), the Portuguese authorities describe how they are going to invest EU funding of € 21.5 billion over seven years in line with the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs.
Portugal sent the National Strategic Reference Framework to the European Commission in February 2007. Commissioners Hübner and Spidla expressed their satisfaction with Portugal's framework.
" I am very happy that the Portuguese framework includes significant commitment to the Lisbon strategy for jobs and growth. At least 60% of investments for the "Convergence" objective and 75% for the "Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective" have been earmarked for Lisbon- related expenditure. This demonstrates Portugal's commitment to a new competitiveness-based agenda. European funds will make an important contribution to new cohesion programmes that will help raise the standard of living in the Portuguese regions,' said Danuta Hübner.
According to Commissioner Spidla, "The Portuguese strategy shows strong commitment to promoting investment in human resources. We know that creating more, better jobs is the core of the European reform agenda. Portugal's priorities will make it easier for workers to find a job and improve their skills. The strategy will also promote social inclusion."
The Portuguese NSRF sets out in broad terms how Portugal will use € 21.5 billion of EU resources in the next seven years to develop the skills of Portuguese men and women, promote sustainable growth, guarantee social cohesion, ensure the development of the territory and the cities, and improve governance.
( http://www.ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/atlas2007/fiche/pt_en.pdf ).
Portugal is planning 14 operational programmes (three thematic, nine regional, and two for technical assistance):
Factors of Competitiveness will receive funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Portugal wants to increase the share of medium and high technology companies in the industry sector to 6.2% by 2010, compared to 3.4 % today.
Human Potential will be funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), and will cover all regions on the mainland. All young people aged 18 and under will have access to training. The plan is to increase availability of vocational courses at secondary school level so as to reduce the very high school dropout rate (38 % in 2005).
Territorial Development will be funded both by the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund. The idea is to continue projects in transport and the environment financed in the previous programming period.
All Portuguese regions will have a specific ERDF regional programme, and the autonomous regions of Azores and Madeira will each also benefit from a specific ESF regional programme.
Notes for editors
The Commission's decision completes the adoption procedure for Portugal's NSRF, including its priorities, indicative annual allocations, and list of operational programmes. Approval of the NSRF is a legal prerequisite for adoption of operational programmes. Negotiations on these are at present in the final stages. More than half of all Member States have now had their NSRFs officially adopted by the Commission. In drawing up their NSRFs, all Member States must take account of the Community strategic guidelines for 2007-2013, which place particular emphasis on innovation, research and technological development, the information society, environmental protection, renewable energy sources and creating more and better jobs. The NSRF also ties in closely with Portugal's national reform programme which sets out measures to deliver the Lisbon jobs and growth strategy.
The Lisbon Agenda is an action and development plan of reforms set at the Lisbon European Council in March 2000. The reforms are intended to implement the EU's strategic goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth, with more, better jobs and greater social cohesion. Progress is regularly reviewed at Spring European Councils.
Further information about European Regional Policy available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm
Further information about European Employment, Social affairs and Equal opportunities Policies is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/index_en.html