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Synthesis Report Ex-post Evaluation of the ERDF 2000-2006 In Germany, structural change was an explicit central aim of Objective 2 programmes in a number of regions, such as in Berlin, or Saarland, where the concern was to reduce reliance on coal and steel industries, while in Niedersachsen, the focus was on developing indigenous potential and in Rheinland-Pfalz, on sustainable development. In Belgium, while the ultimate goal in Objective 2 regions was to increase growth and employment, the immediate aim was explicitly to diversify the production system. The programmes implemented were all directed to varying degrees towards developing a broader and more diversified economy, especially one based on more knowledge-intensive activities and one which was attractive to outside investors In Sweden, the aim in Objective 2 regions was equally to improve the business environment together with stimulating knowledge-driven development, much as in the case of Objective 1 regions. In the Netherlands, the areas eligible for Objective 2 support were primarily those in the North of the country which were the only ones for which a specific regional development programme was implemented by the national authorities over the period 2000-2006. Here the aim, as elsewhere was to increase growth and employment but to do so in a way which was in line with spatial balance, with growth being concentrated in centres of economic activity and rural areas being preserved. The three main policy areas in which support was concentrated in most countries were enterprise support, RTDI – which was closely related and in many cases an integral part of the support provided to businesses – and territorial development. Some of the actions taken in these areas, especially the first two, and their results have been described in earlier sections of this report. The focus here is on the overall outcomes in the regions concerned. France In France, expenditure financed under Objective 2 for the 2000-2006 period amounted to some EUR 5.1 billion up to the end of 2008. This was spread across the country in the sense that all NUTS 2 regions had at least one area which received assistance, just over 35% of the population outside of Objective 1 regions living in assisted areas (see Table 4.4). Funding to assist businesses went to a significant extent to the provision of support services for SMEs, in the form of investment in new industrial zones tailored to the needs of local firms, business parks, incubators and premises in urban areas, which had visible results in terms of the infrastructure created. Funding also went to increasing access to RTDI and, depending on the region, the focus of support was either on research centres and universities, or on centres of technology transfer to increase the diffusion of know-how or on improving the links between research centres and industry. According to evaluations, the funding provided contributed to bringing about a better culture of innovation across the country, leading to: • increased expenditure on R&D by firms and the development of new markets (such as in Provence-Alpes-Cotes d’Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon, where a third of companies receiving support applied for a patent); • the development of research centres, public-private partnerships, networks for the development of technology (Réseaux de développement technologique) and ‘technology platforms (as in Midi-Pyrénées); 144
Ex-post Evaluation of the ERDF 2000-2006 Synthesis Report • the diversification of regional economies based on industry towards ICT-related services (as in Franche-Comté). An even large part of the funding went to territorial policy to improve the attractiveness of regions both for people to live and businesses to locate. The projects undertaken included: • the regeneration of derelict urban areas in traditional manufacturing regions (e.g.: in Lorraine, Picardie, and Haute-Normandie); • the rehabilitation of industrial zones in rural areas and the creation of new ones together with support for the diversification of economic activity (such as into the agri-food industry in Picardie) • the renovation of small rural towns (such as in Franche-Comté, Basse-Normandie and Rhône-Alpes); • support for the tourist industry through the renovation and modernisation of accommodation, the better organisation of activities, the restoration of heritage sites and the creation of cultural events; • improving accommodation and protection of the natural heritage in mountainous areas in order to encourage more tourism (such as in Auvergne and Midi-Pyrénées); • the provision of main drainage and waste-water treatment plants in rural areas in a number of regions. Although it is difficult to measure the effects of such measures, it is, nevertheless, the case that the population stabilised or even increased over the period in many of the areas concerned. UK In the UK, as in France, Objective 2 funding, which amounted to EUR 3.8 billion in total up to the end of 2008, was allocated to a large number of areas across the country. These together covered just over 31% of the population outside of Objective 1 regions. Although the amount involved was small in relation to national funding, it increased the resources available for the pursuit of development policy in problem regions. EU funding, like that from national sources went predominantly to support of businesses, especially SMEs, the aim being to diversify the regional economy into new and expanding sectors and to encourage increased RTDI. It also, however, went into measures to improve the environment for both businesses and people. Examples include: • the installation of broadband in a number of areas, including the ‘Switch on Shropshire’ project in the West Midlands which provided access to high-speed telecommunications to over 400 businesses and 35 local communities in the county; • the Eliot Park Innovation Centre also in the West Midlands, where ERDF support enabled the installation of an electricity generation system based on solar power (which is expected to yield energy savings of over 50% as compared with typical offices of the same kind) and provided important lessons for the future construction of office buildings; • the construction of the Ricoh Arena in Coventry in the West Midlands on an old industrial site with conference, exhibition, hotel, restaurant, entertainment and sports facilities; • the renovation and expansion of community facilities in deprived parts of East Manchester. 145
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Synthesis Report - European Commission - Europa

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