EU funding is awarded by the European Commission to help finance projects or activities which promote EU policies.

EU funding covers a diverse number of fields including education, protection of the environment, humanitarian aid, business development and research.

Whilst certain grants are restricted to designated geographical areas, others are not location specific.

Structural funding and the East Midlands

The East Midlands has greatly benefited from European money made available to the regions of the EU under 4 different funding programmes, known collectively as the Structural Funds.

Through the Structural Funds the European Union supports less prosperous regions of Member States by providing money to help regenerate their economies and create new jobs.

ERDF and ESF - 2 types of Structural Funding

Two of the most important structural funds are ERDF (European Regional Development Funding) and ESF (European Social Fund).

ERDF is intended to reduce the regional imbalance in the EU. ERDF is only available to the specific areas of the East Midlands identified as being the most in need of regeneration. It aims to improve economic prosperity and social inclusion by investing in projects to promote development and encourage the diversity of industry, in areas lagging behind the European average.

ESF, available to the whole of the East Midlands region, aims to help reduce unemployment and improve and develop the skills of employed people, help create and protect jobs in areas in decline or of low economic development.

For the period 2000-2006, the East Midlands region received over £400 million in Structural Funds.

Other EU funding programmes

The overall level of European money received by the East Midlands is pushed much higher by the countless other projects that are funded in the region and across the UK by EU programmes.

These include programmes such as:

 Daphne II, which aims at supporting organisations to prevent or to combat all types of violence against children, young people and women.

 The Seventh Framework Programme which funds research across Europe.

The ERASMUS Programme, which promotes student mobility throughout Europe.

The Twinning Programme, which aims to develop strong, informal and personal relations between citizens from twinned towns across Europe.

Further information from the Government Office of the East Midlands