Brussels, 28/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission this week adopted the Community support framework for Northern Ireland for the 2000-2006 period. This programme gathers together the new "Peace" programme and the "operational programmes" for Objective 1 aid (aid to less developed regions).
The operational programme for Objective 1 aid has a budget of EUR 890.5 million for the whole period. It determines the sectors and types of projects that will benefit from Community aid, namely: 1) tourism, 2) support to training programmes, 3) projects in the agricultural sector, rural development and fisheries, 4) cooperation projects with the Irish Republic.
The Peace II programme (Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland) has a budget of EUR 425 million for the 2000-2004 period. It follows on from the Peace I programme, launched in 1995 to support the peace process with concrete projects. Peace II completes Objective 1, adding several intervention axis aimed at promoting social integration, reconciliation and cooperation with neighbouring regions in Ireland.
The "Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personal" will be responsible for managing the support programme in Northern Ireland as a whole and that of Objective 1 in particular. The "Special EU programmes Body", which is one of the bodies responsible for following-up on the implementation of the Belfast agreements, was selected as the management authority for Peace II.