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

EU: Spain — Operational programme 2007–2013: Cantabria

/noticias.info/ 1. Operational Programme 2007-2013 for the Autonomous Community of Cantabria – programme under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)


2 Background

On 7 December 2007 the European Commission approved an Operational Programme for the Autonomous Community of Cantabria (Spain) for the period 2007–2013.

This Operational Programme comes under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective and has a total budget of some 178 million euros. Community assistance through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) amounts to around 89 million euros, representing approximately 0.3% of total EU investment in Spain under the cohesion policy for 2007–2013.

3. Purpose and aim of the programme

The strategy for the operational programme was built on the basis of, in particular:

* regional issues highlighted by an identification and analysis of the region’s potential;
* the gains achieved during the previous stages of the Community programme;
* the Community’s strategic guidelines and the national strategic framework, which establish the principles for the allocation of European funding.

The main aim of the operational programme is to develop productivity and research, development and innovation (R&D&I) capacity in order to achieve technological and social convergence with the European Union's more advanced regions.

The programme aims to contribute significantly to the Lisbon strategy objectives, with significant support for the knowledge-based economy, innovation and entrepreneurship.

A significant number of programme actions will target the environment and risk prevention, with efforts to improve sustainable local and urban development.

4. Expected impact of the investments

The programme objectives may be estimated as follows:

* 1 306 jobs created;
* 2 464 R&D&I projects co-financed;
* a "multiplier effect" (on private investment) of 24.87 million euros.

5. Priorities

The Operational Programme has four priorities:

Priority 1: Knowledge-based economy, innovation and development of undertakings [approximately 80% of total investment]

R&D&I policies are a central element in the process of renewing the Lisbon Agenda, as an instrument for increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the European economy.

The basic objective is to invest effectively in R&D&I in order to achieve tangible results in terms of regional development, as this remains one of the region's weaknesses. Existing potential deserves to be developed and monitored in the future.

Under the programme, priority will be given to projects relating to aspects such as eco-innovation, clean technologies or environmental improvements in production processes.

Priority 2: Environment and risk prevention [around 16% of total investment]

Improvement, conservation and protection of the environment constitute a priority for the programme, in parallel with improving and consolidating the region's attractiveness in order to increase tourism and investment. The programme also aims to contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion by promoting the creation of a sustainable development model to improve human well-being and quality of life.

The activities to be carried out by the Autonomous Community of Cantabria will require a considerable increase in population at certain times of the year in order to meet the demand for services while preserving existing environmental richness.

The programme will seek to promote those undertakings driving development which respect the environment and use it to drive the economy. In this sense, water resources are a significant factor in regional development, affecting the location of activities in certain regions of the territory.

Water resources therefore have a strategic value in maintaining ecological balances and conserving the environment, as well as for the health and quality of life of the population and the development of production activities.

Priority 3: Sustainable local and urban development [around 3.3% of total investment]

The objectives are to improve competitiveness and achieve a better balance in development between economically strong towns and the rest of the urban network through actions combining economic development, the promotion of employment under conditions of equality between women and men, social inclusion and environmental recovery and preservation. More specifically, the objectives are to:

* promote initiatives by employers, local employment and community development;
* rehabilitate the physical environment, by rehabilitating former industrial sites while conserving and developing the historical and cultural heritage;
* strengthen social cohesion by promoting social, cultural and economic integration.

The beneficiary authorities under this operational programme will promote the implementation of co-financed projects by means of an integrated analysis bringing together environmental, social, cultural and economic objectives.

Priority 4: Technical assistance [around 0.7% of total investment]

The objectives are to:

* achieve greater effectiveness in programme management;
* ensure appropriate conditions for programme monitoring, control and evaluation;
* carry out information and publicity activities to disseminate knowledge of the possibilities offered by the programme to potential final beneficiaries and to public opinion in general;
* facilitate cooperation between the administrations responsible for the programme, particularly with regard to the computerised management system. notas_de_prensa_archivo