Article 1 Subject matter
This Regulation establishes the tasks of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the scope of its support with regard to the Investment for growth and jobs goal and the European territorial cooperation goal and specific provisions concerning ERDF support for the Investment for growth and jobs goal.
Article 2 Tasks of the ERDF
The ERDF shall contribute to the financing of support which aims to reinforce economic, social and territorial cohesion by redressing the main regional imbalances in the Union through the sustainable development and structural adjustment of regional economies, including the conversion of declining industrial regions and regions whose development is lagging behind.
Article 3 Scope of support from the ERDF
1. The ERDF shall support the following activities in order to contribute to the investment priorities set out in Article 5: (a) productive investment which contributes to creating and safeguarding sustainable jobs, through direct aid for investment in SMEs; (b) productive investment, irrespective of the size of the enterprise concerned, which contributes to the investment priorities set out in points (1) and (4) of Article 5, and, where that investment involves cooperation between large enterprises and SMEs, in point (2) of Article 5; (c) investment in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens in the areas of energy, environment, transport and ICT; (d) investment in social, health, research, innovation, business and educational infrastructure; (e) investment in the development of endogenous potential through fixed investment in equipment and small-scale infrastructure, including small-scale cultural and sustainable tourism infrastructure, services to enterprises, support to research and innovation bodies and investment in technology and applied research in enterprises; (f) networking, cooperation and exchange of experience between competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, economic and social partners and relevant bodies representing civil society, referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, studies, preparatory actions and capacity-building. 2. Under the European territorial cooperation goal, the ERDF may also support the sharing of facilities and human resources, and all types of infrastructure across borders in all regions. 3. The ERDF shall not support: (a) the decommissioning or the construction of nuclear power stations; (b) investment to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC; (c) the manufacturing, processing and marketing of tobacco and tobacco products; (d) undertakings in difficulty, as defined under Union State aid rules; (e) investment in airport infrastructure unless related to environmental protection or accompanied by investment necessary to mitigate or reduce its negative environmental impact.
Article 4 Thematic concentration
1. The thematic objectives set out in the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and the corresponding investment priorities set out in Article 5 of this Regulation to which the ERDF may contribute under the Investment for growth and jobs goal, shall be concentrated as follows: (a) in more developed regions: (i) at least 80 % of the total ERDF resources at national level shall be allocated to two or more of the thematic objectives set out in points 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; and (ii) at least 20 % of the total ERDF resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objective set out in point 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; (b) in transition regions: (i) at least 60 % of the total ERDF resources at national level shall be allocated to two or more of the thematic objectives set out in points 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; and (ii) at least 15 % of the total ERDF resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objective set out in point 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; (c) in less developed regions: (i) at least 50 % of the total ERDF resources at national level shall be allocated to two or more of the thematic objectives set in out in points 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; and (ii) at least 12 % of the total ERDF resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objective set out in point 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. For the purpose of this Article, regions whose GDP per capita used as an eligibility criterion for the 2007-2013 programming period was less than 75 % of the average GDP of the EU-25 for the reference period, and regions designated with phasing-out status in the 2007-2013 programming period, but which are eligible under the category of more developed regions as referred to in point (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 90(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 in the 2014-2020 programming period, shall be considered as transition regions. For the purpose of this Article, all NUTS level 2 regions consisting solely of island Member States or of islands which form part of Member States which receive support from the Cohesion Fund, and all outermost regions, shall be considered as less developed regions. 2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, the minimum ERDF share allocated to a category of region may be lower than that set out in that paragraph, provided that such a decrease is compensated by an increase in the share allocated to other categories of regions. The resulting sum at national level of the amounts for all categories of region respectively for the thematic objectives set out in points 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2013 and those set out in point 4 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 shall accordingly not be less than the sum at national level resulting from applying the minimum ERDF shares set out in paragraph 1 of this Article. 3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, Cohesion Fund resources allocated to supporting the investment priorities set out in point (a) of Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2013 may be counted towards achieving the minimum shares set out in points (a)(ii), (b)(ii) and (c)(ii) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 1 of this Article. In such a case, the share referred to in point (c)(ii) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 1 of this Article shall be increased to 15 %. Where applicable, those resources shall be allocated pro rata to the different categories of region based on their relative shares of the total population of the Member State concerned.
Article 5 Investment priorities
The ERDF shall support the following investment priorities within the thematic objectives set out in the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, in accordance with the development needs and growth potential referred to in point (a)(i) of Article 15(1) of that Regulation and set out in the Partnership Agreement: (1) strengthening research, technological development and innovation by: (a) enhancing research and innovation (R&I) infrastructure and capacities to develop R&I excellence, and promoting centres of competence, in particular those of European interest; (b) promoting business investment in R&I, developing links and synergies between enterprises, research and development centres and the higher education sector, in particular promoting investment in product and service development, technology transfer, social innovation, eco-innovation, public service applications, demand stimulation, networking, clusters and open innovation through smart specialisation, and supporting technological and applied research, pilot lines, early product validation actions, advanced manufacturing capabilities and first production, in particular in key enabling technologies and diffusion of general purpose technologies; (2) enhancing access to, and use and quality of, ICT by: (a) extending broadband deployment and the roll-out of high-speed networks and supporting the adoption of emerging technologies and networks for the digital economy; (b) developing ICT products and services, e-commerce, and enhancing demand for ICT; (c) strengthening ICT applications for e-government, e-learning, e-inclusion, e-culture and e-health; (3) enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs by: (a) promoting entrepreneurship, in particular by facilitating the economic exploitation of new ideas and fostering the creation of new firms, including through business incubators; (b) developing and implementing new business models for SMEs, in particular with regard to internationalisation; (c) supporting the creation and the extension of advanced capacities for product and service development; (d) supporting the capacity of SMEs to grow in regional, national and international markets, and to engage in innovation processes; (4) supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors by: (a) promoting the production and distribution of energy derived from renewable sources; (b) promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy use in enterprises; (c) supporting energy efficiency, smart energy management and renewable energy use in public infrastructure, including in public buildings, and in the housing sector; (d) developing and implementing smart distribution systems that operate at low and medium voltage levels; (e) promoting low-carbon strategies for all types of territories, in particular for urban areas, including the promotion of sustainable multimodal urban mobility and mitigation-relevant adaptation measures; (f) promoting research and innovation in, and adoption of, low-carbon technologies; (g) promoting the use of high-efficiency co-generation of heat and power based on useful heat demand; (5) promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management by: (a) supporting investment for adaptation to climate change, including ecosystem-based approaches; (b) promoting investment to address specific risks, ensuring disaster resilience and developing disaster management systems; (6) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by: (a) investing in the waste sector to meet the requirements of the Union's environmental acquis and to address needs, identified by the Member States, for investment that goes beyond those requirements; (b) investing in the water sector to meet the requirements of the Union's environmental acquis and to address needs, identified by the Member States, for investment that goes beyond those requirements; (c) conserving, protecting, promoting and developing natural and cultural heritage; (d) protecting and restoring biodiversity and soil and promoting ecosystem services, including through Natura 2000, and green infrastructure; (e) taking action to improve the urban environment, to revitalise cities, regenerate and decontaminate brownfield sites (including conversion areas), reduce air pollution and promote noise-reduction measures; (f) promoting innovative technologies to improve environmental protection and resource efficiency in the waste sector, water sector and with regard to soil, or to reduce air pollution; (g) supporting industrial transition towards a resource-efficient economy, promoting green growth, eco-innovation and environmental performance management in the public and private sectors; (7) promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures by: (a) supporting a multimodal Single European Transport Area by investing in the TEN-T; (b) enhancing regional mobility by connecting secondary and tertiary nodes to TEN-T infrastructure, including multimodal nodes; (c) developing and improving environmentally-friendly (including low-noise) and low-carbon transport systems, including inland waterways and maritime transport, ports, multimodal links and airport infrastructure, in order to promote sustainable regional and local mobility; (d) developing and rehabilitating comprehensive, high quality and interoperable railway systems, and promoting noise-reduction measures; (e) improving energy efficiency and security of supply through the development of smart energy distribution, storage and transmission systems and through the integration of distributed generation from renewable sources; (8) promoting sustainable and quality employment and supporting labour mobility by: (a) supporting the development of business incubators and investment support for self-employment, micro-enterprises and business creation; (b) supporting employment-friendly growth through the development of endogenous potential as part of a territorial strategy for specific areas, including the conversion of declining industrial regions and enhancement of accessibility to, and development of, specific natural and cultural resources; (c) supporting local development initiatives and aid for structures providing neighbourhood services to create jobs, where such actions are outside the scope of Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 10 ) ; (d) investing in infrastructure for employment services; (9) promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination, by: (a) investing in health and social infrastructure which contributes to national, regional and local development, reducing inequalities in terms of health status, promoting social inclusion through improved access to social, cultural and recreational services and the transition from institutional to community-based services; (b) providing support for physical, economic and social regeneration of deprived communities in urban and rural areas; (c) providing support for social enterprises; (d) undertaking investment in the context of community-led local development strategies; (10) investing in education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning by developing education and training infrastructure; (11) enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and efficient public administration through actions to strengthen the institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administrations and public services related to the implementation of the ERDF, and in support of actions under the ESF to strengthen the institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administration.
Article 6 Indicators for the Investment for growth and jobs goal
1. Common output indicators, as set out in Annex I to this Regulation, programme-specific result indicators and, where relevant, programme-specific output indicators shall be used in accordance with Article 27(4) and point (b)(ii) and (iv) and point (c)(ii) and (iv) of Article 96(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. 2. For common and programme-specific output indicators, baselines shall be set at zero. Cumulative quantified target values for those indicators shall be set for 2023. 3. For programme-specific result indicators, which relate to investment priorities, baselines shall use the latest available data and targets shall be set for 2023. Targets may be expressed in quantitative or qualitative terms. 4. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 14 to amend the list of common output indicators set out in Annex I, in order to make adjustments, where justified to ensure effective assessment of progress in the implementation of operational programmes.
Article 7 Sustainable urban development
1. The ERDF shall support, within operational programmes, sustainable urban development through strategies that set out integrated actions to tackle the economic, environmental, climate, demographic and social challenges affecting urban areas, while taking into account the need to promote urban-rural linkages. 2. Sustainable urban development shall be undertaken through Integrated territorial investment as referred to in Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, or through a specific operational programme, or through a specific priority axis in accordance with point (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 96(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303 /2013. 3. Taking into account its specific territorial situation, each Member State shall establish in its Partnership Agreement the principles for the selection of urban areas where integrated actions for sustainable urban development are to be implemented and an indicative allocation for those actions at national level. 4. At least 5 % of the ERDF resources allocated at national level under the Investment for growth and jobs goal shall be allocated to integrated actions for sustainable urban development where cities, sub-regional or local bodies responsible for implementing sustainable urban strategies ("urban authorities") shall be responsible for tasks relating, at least, to the selection of operations in accordance with Article 123(6) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, or, where appropriate, in accordance with Article 123(7) of that Regulation. The indicative amount to be dedicated for the purposes of paragraph 2 of this Article shall be set out in the operational programme or programmes concerned. 5. The managing authority shall determine, in consultation with the urban authority, the scope of tasks, to be undertaken by urban authorities, concerning the management of integrated actions for sustainable urban development. The managing authority shall formally record its decision in writing. The managing authority may retain the right to undertake a final verification of eligibility of operations before approval.
Article 8 Innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development
1. At the initiative of the Commission, the ERDF may support innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development in accordance with Article 92(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. Such actions shall include studies and pilot projects to identify or test new solutions which address issues that are related to sustainable urban development and are of relevance at Union level. The Commission shall encourage the involvement of relevant partners referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 in the preparation and implementation of innovative actions. 2. By way of derogation from Article 4 of this Regulation, innovative actions may support all activities necessary to achieve the thematic objectives set out in the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and the corresponding investment priorities set out in Article 5 of this Regulation. 3. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 14 laying down detailed rules concerning the principles for the selection and management of innovative actions to be supported by the ERDF in accordance with this Regulation.
Article 9 Urban development network
1. The Commission shall establish, in accordance with Article 58 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 an urban development network to promote capacity-building, networking and exchange of experience at Union level between urban authorities responsible for implementing sustainable urban development strategies in accordance with Article 7(4) and (5) of this Regulation and authorities responsible for innovative actions in the area of sustainable urban development in accordance with Article 8 of this Regulation. 2. The activities of the urban development network shall be complementary to those undertaken under interregional cooperation pursuant to point (3)(b) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 1299/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 11 ) .
Article 10 Areas with natural or demographic handicaps
In operational programmes co-financed by the ERDF, covering areas with severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps as referred to in point 4 of Article 121 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, particular attention shall be paid to addressing the specific difficulties of those areas.
Article 11 Northernmost regions with very low population density
Article 4 shall not apply to the specific additional allocation for the northernmost regions with very low population density. That allocation shall be allocated to the thematic objectives set out in points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.
Article 12 Outermost regions
1. Article 4 shall not apply to the specific additional allocation for the outermost regions. That allocation shall be used to offset the additional costs, linked to the special characteristics and constraints referred to in Article 349 TFEU, incurred in the outermost regions in supporting: (a) the thematic objectives set out in the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; (b) freight transport services and start-up aid for transport services; (c) operations linked to storage constraints, the excessive size and maintenance of production tools, and the lack of human capital in the local market. 2. The specific additional allocation referred to in paragraph 1 may also be used to help finance operating aid and expenditure covering public service obligations and contracts in the outermost regions. 3. The amount to which the rate of co-financing applies shall be proportionate to the additional costs, referred to in paragraph 1, incurred by the beneficiary, only in the case of operating aid and expenditure covering public service obligations and contracts, but may cover the total eligible costs in the case of expenditure for investment. 4. The specific additional allocation referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be used to support: (a) operations involving products listed in Annex I to the TFEU; (b) aid for the transport of persons authorised under point (a) of Article 107(2) TFEU; (c) tax exemptions and exemption of social charges. 5. By way of derogation from points (a) and (b) of Article 3(1), the ERDF may support productive investment in enterprises in the outermost regions, irrespective of the size of those enterprises. 6. Article 4 shall not apply to the ERDF part of the envelope allocated to Mayotte as an outermost region within the meaning of Article 349 TFEU, and at least 50 % of that ERDF part shall be allocated to the thematic objectives set out in points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the first paragraph of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303 /2013.
Article 13 Transitional provisions
1. This Regulation shall not affect either the continuation or modification, including the total or partial cancellation of assistance approved by the Commission on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 or any other legislation applying to that assistance on 31 December 2013. That Regulation or such other applicable legislation shall consequently continue to apply after 31 December 2013 to that assistance or the operations concerned until their closure. For the purposes of this paragraph assistance shall cover operational programmes and major projects. 2. Applications to receive assistance made or approved under Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 shall remain valid.
Article 14 Exercise of the delegation
1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Articles 6(4) and 8(3) shall be conferred on the Commission from 21 December 2013 until 31 December 2020. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Articles 6(4) and 8(3) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 5. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 6(4) and 8(3) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or the Council.
Article 15 Repeal
Without prejudice to Article 13 of this Regulation, Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 is hereby repealed with effect from 1 January 2014. References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table set out in Annex II.
Article 16 Review
The European Parliament and the Council shall review this Regulation by 31 December 2020, in accordance with Article 177 TFEU.
Article 17 Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union . Article 12(6) shall apply with effect from 1 January 2014.