Brussels, 26/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the European Commission adopted the Single Programming Document (SPD) for Objective 1 for regional policy aid to the United Kingdom, from 2000 to 2006, with an allocation of EUR 4,857 million. The SPD determines the guidelines for Community intervention in four British regions recognised as lagging behind according to Community criteria (GDP per capita below 75% of the Community average). Three of these regions benefit for the first time from Objective 1 aid, which will be largely devoted to SMEs and training. Environmental protection, development of the Information Society, promotion and equality between men and women are also part of the guidelines. The Commission considers that EUR 11,454 million in financing will be allocated through European aid combined with the co-funding by British authorities and the private sector. The regions concerned are:
i) South Yorkshire (EUR 1,172 million): aid will be paid to help this region and diversify its economy (support to innovation, information technologies …);
ii) Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (EUR 497 million): support to SMEs, infrastructures and training following programmes set in place for the period 1994-1999 under rural development aid schemes;
iii) West Wales and the Valleys (1,853 million): support to SMEs, innovaton and training will be given to a region affected by a large variety of industrial, rural and social problems;
iv) Merseyside (EUR 1,333 million): development of the economic fabric, aid to SMEs and to the development of "niche sector activities".
The SPD for the Highlands, Islands and Ulster should be adopted during the month of July (these British regions lose their eligibility to Objective 1 but benefit from phasing out aid).
At a general level, the approval of the Objective 1 SDPs is continuing. The document from Ireland is expected early July, that from France is announced for the end of the same month but will perhaps not include all eligible regions. The Commission hopes to adopt at least the SDP for the Reunion, Guyana, Martinique and Guadeloupe. The SPD for Spain is still on the negotiating table, as the Commission has called for a consolidated document for 39 operational programmes (SDP application programmes). Commissioner Barnier will seize the opportunity of his visit to Finland on 29 and 30 June to sign the first Objective 2 SDP (aid to regions under reconversion).
Furthermore, the dossier on Objective 2 aid for Italy is being brought out of deadlock. Consultations, which were broken off months ago pending Italy's proposal of a new list of eligible regions, have now resumed. Italy sought the possibility to include the area of Turin (partially in industrial decline) among the zones eligible for Objective 2 financing. A compromise is shaping up, based on the consideration of this area from the point of view of the rate of unemployment, the level of social security, etc. The Commission now expects to receive a new proposal of a list, and once there is agreement on the map, discussions on the SDP content may begin.