Brussels, 17/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission approves the draft single programming documents (SPD) for the development of the Swedish regions of Norra Norrland and Södra Skogslanen for the 2000-2006 period. These programmes concern Objective 1 of the structural funds (regions whose development of lagging behind) and corresponds to a Community payment of EUR 748 million, of which 52% for the Norra Norrland region and 48% for the Södra Skogslanen region. In total, this Community payment will allow to mobilise more than EUR two million of investments in these two regions of which roughly a third will come from the private sector.
The two programme strategies aim to encourage the development of high-tech companies, with strong growth potential and implement high levels of competence. In total, it should help towards the creation or maintaining of 16,000 permanent and 4,000 temporary jobs. The applications of information society are well represented in the programmes. Another important objectives consists of strengthening the attractiveness of the region as a place to live and work, notably by maintaining the unspoilt environment, by guaranteeing high levels of training and strengthening cultural heritage, in order to attract enterprises to locate in the area. Efforts will also be made to attract local people (especially young people and women) to stay in the region and to favour new people to move into the area. Each programme contains special measures to promote the development of Sami culture and traditional Sami industries. The Sametinget (Sami Parliament) will manage these measures. The Commission decision must be transmitted to opinion to four consultative committees before being finalised. The projects stemming from the SPD will start in the second half of this year.