Brussels, 16/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Michel Barnier has signed twenty-three programmes of financial support for Spanish regions for the period 2000-2006. The total amount of the financial assistance committed by the Community is 33.140 billion euro. Sixteen programmes come within Objective 1 of the Structural Funds (regions lagging behind in development): twelve programmes concern aid to research, development and innovation in the following regions: Cantabria, Andalousia, Canaries, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla-Leon, Ceuta, Valencia, Extremadour, Galicia, Melilla, Murcia; four horizontal programmes provide for local development measures and for improving company competitiveness. The remaining seven programmes concern Objective 2 (regions undergoing economic restructuring) and concern the Basque country, Navarre, Aragon, Catalonia, Rioja, the Balearic islands and the City of Madrid. For the period 2000-2006, the Commission has, moreover, approved three aid programmes for a total of 11.295 billion euro in Greece and some of its regions. These programmes concern: culture, roads, ports and urban development; the development of Central Macedonia. EUROPE will return to this.