Fuente: © European Union
http://europa.eu.int

EU: Operational Programme "Germany (Saxony) – Czech Republic" 2007-2013

/noticias.info/ 1. “Germany–Czech Republic Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme” – Programme under the European Territorial Cooperation Objective, co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

2. Overview

On 20 December 2007, the European Commission approved a Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme between Germany and the Czech Republic for the period 2007-13. The Programme involves providing Community support as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the following regions along the German-Czech border:

Vogtlandkreis, Aue-Schwarzenberg, Annaberg, Mittlerer Erzgebirgskreis, Freiberg, Weißerritzkreis, Sächsische Schweiz, Bautzen and Löbau-Zittau as well as kreisfreie Stadt Plauen in Germany;

Karlovarský kraj (with the counties of Karlovy Vary, Sokolov and Cheb), Ústecký kraj (with the counties of Chomutov, Most, Teplice, Louny, Litoměřice, Ústi nad Labem und Děčín) as well as Liberecký kraj (with the counties of Česká Lipa, Liberec, Jablonec nad Nisou and Semily) in the Czech Republic.

Other regions of both countries can participate in the projects as adjacent areas receiving a maximum of 20% of the ERDF funding allocated to the Programme. The Operational Programme falls within the framework laid out for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective and has a total budget of around €241 million. Community funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) amounts to some €207 million, which represents approximately 2.4% of the total EU investment earmarked for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective under the Cohesion Policy 2007-13.

3. Aim and purpose of the Programme

The overall objective of the Programme is to promote sustainable development and economic competitiveness of the German-Czech border region through an integrated, cross-border approach to economic, social, and environmental development that involves and benefits local residents and their communities.

The Programme area is characterised by undeveloped, cross-border infrastructure, common spatial planning, per capita income differences between bordering regions and a willingness for mutual cooperation, which is a good basis for on-going development.

4. Expected impact of investments

The Operational Programme aims to support:

* social development;
* entrepreneurship;
* tourism; and
* improvement of the nature and environmental protection.

5. Priorities

The Programme focuses on the following co-operation priorities:

Priority 1: Development of the social frameworks in the eligible area [approximately 46.6% of total funding]

The aim of this priority is:

* to improve the infrastructure;
* to cooperate in human resources, social development;
* to improve catastrophe prevention; and
* to develop small project funds.

Priority 2: Economy and tourism development [approximately 30.0% of total funding]

The aim of this priority is:

* to develop cross-border cooperation in economy and cross-border structures; and
* to cooperate and to develop economic, cross-border, tourism structures.

Priority 3: Improvement of Nature and Environmental situation [approximately 17.4% of total funding]

The aim of this priority is:

* to cooperate in climate change, nature protection, landscape protection and waste management; and
* to cooperate in flood protection, water management and water construction projects.

Priority 4: Technical Assistance [approximately 6.0% of total funding]

The aim of this priority is to help the participating countries to implement the Programme as effectively as possible. notas_de_prensa_archivo