Brussels, 22/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Around €1.78 billion or approximately €2.37 billion with co-financing, will be earmarked for the Italian region of Calabria. This follows the adoption of the operational programme by the European Commission on Wednesday 21 October. This programme will help develop the competitiveness of companies in the region, as well as help tackle climate change, poverty and social exclusion.
As part of this pillar on growth and employment, almost €210 million will be invested in research and innovation and €186 million in industrial competitiveness, as well as €168 million in the development of broadband in the region. With regard to the second pillar for the environment, €486 million will go to energy saving, €324 million for promoting industrial and natural heritage in the region, €223 million to the development of sustainable transport networks and, finally, €93 million for hydro-geological risk prevention (floods, mudslides). Almost €446 million will go to promoting social cohesion in tackling poverty.
For the 2014-20 period, Italy will obtain around €32.2 billion for social cohesion, €22.2 billion will go to regions in southern Italy that have to confront difficult socio-economic situations and fund absorption problems. Per capita GDP in Calabria is currently equivalent to 56.7% of the EU28 average. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)