From 2007 to 2013, a large share of European funding will be focusing on projects involving innovation. Companies and laboratories working together, along with well-organised industry sectors will be the leading beneficiaries of such support. The ball is now in their court to seize the opportunity.

447 million Euros of European funding

447 million Euros of European funding
Within the framework of the European Union’s “Regional Policy”, several funds will concern Lower Normandy. Over and above the EFDR (181 million Euros), there are three further funds. The total budget amounts to some 447 million Euros.
• the ESF: European Social Fund
With a budget of 104 million Euros, the ESF targets policies towards developing employment, training and professional integration, along with the anticipation of economic change, as much with regard to companies as to their employees.
• the EAFRD: European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
With a budget of 156,29 million Euros, the EAFRD targets the development of rural zones aimed at reinforcing the agricultural and agrifood industries, environmental protection and territorial development.
• EFF: European Fisheries Fund
With a budget of 7.5 million Euros, the EFF is aimed, in complement to national funding, at achieving key objectives in terms of the common fisheries policy.

Innovation, innovation!

It’s a surprise for no-one: nnovation, in all forms, is at the very heart of current European policy. It is consequently behind the major share of the EFDR funding to be awarded to Lower Normandy. The aim is to offer solid support to the State-Region’s strategy for innovation, competitiveness, attractiveness and sustainable and well-balanced development, which is coordinated in partnership with the region’s different institutional and economic players. “The days of thinly spread subsidies are behind us. Henceforth, European policy with regard to French regions clearly aims at improving territorial competitiveness in order to help challenge globalisation,” explains Laurent Beauvais. “We have engaged in a rationale of reinforcement and development for our solid industry sectors.”

The Regional Council’s main aim is therefore to offer the economic fabric the resources it needs to innovate and to strengthen its capacity to generate added value in the extremely high-tech field, and to be increasingly productive. “This new policy clearly benefits innovative projects offering genuine prospects for our region’s future competitiveness. State services, together with the Regional Council, will be helping grantees to materialise their projects via such European Community funding,” explains Christian Leyrit, Préfet (Prefect) for Calvados and Lower Normandy.

And the novelty of this 2007-2013 period is that EFDR funds will be jointly managed by the State, the Regional Council, the Manche Departmental Council and OSEO. The Lower Normandy Regional Council will be managing a quarter of European funding ⁽¹⁾, i.e. 115 of the total 447 million Euros. “Such commitment is the illustration of the increasingly active role we wish to play with regard to Normandy-based project initiators, within the framework of the strategy we now share with Europe,” highlights Laurent Beauvais.
For this new programme, all of the partners involved are organised in order to be more efficient and to offer improved support to project initiators.

(1) The EFDR and ESF global funding agreements between the State and the Lower Normandy Regional Council were signed on the 9th of June in Caen. As for the EAFRD, certain missions having been delegated to the Regional Council, an agreement was also signed on the 15th of July 2008.

• A 181 million Euro EFDR fund for innovation
Innovation, research and ICT are the priorities for the 2007-2013 period.

• What they have to say…
Business leaders or researchers who have already benefited from European support.
They tell us what Europe has offered them.

• Follow the footsteps of a funding application
The State and the Regional Council have joined forces to make life easier for you.

• Useful addresses
The names, telephone numbers and websites you need to know to tackle Europe.

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