EU announces millions for Algarve development programmes |
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THE European Union has announced two programmes which will bring
millions of euros to the Algarve. The first, dubbed the ‘Algarve
Regional Operational Programme’ sets out Community support for Portugal
within the convergence objective framework. Community funding for this
programme, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),
amounts to some 175 million euros, which represents approximately 0.8
per cent of the total EU investment in Portugal under the 2007-13
Cohesion Policy.
The main goal of the Algarve Operational Programme is to set the
position conditions of the Algarve region, within the context of the
knowledge society, as a dynamic and competitive region. The strategy
underlying the programme is designed to increase tourism, productivity
and competitiveness performances by boosting the region’s economy and
implementing a balanced and competitive territorial management
structure that is compatible with sustainable and environmentally
friendly development.
The programme also aims to provide entrepreneurial incentives towards
the environment that lead toward the modernisation of regional
productive structures, the promotion, consolidation, enhancement and
development of tourism and leisure activities.
The second programme, dubbed the ‘Mediterranean Programme’, is a
transnational cooperation operational programme under the European
Territorial Cooperation Objective, co-funded by the European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF).
The Programme aims to strengthen the region’s economy in order to
ensure growth and employment for future generations. It also aims to
support territorial cohesion and improve the region’s environmental
protection and sustainable development credentials, as well as to fund
projects that aim to prevent and fight natural disasters.
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