OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME:

The Operational Programme (OP) “Competitiveness and Sustainable Development” is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund and is one of the two Programmes prepared for the effective utilisation of the resources of the Cohesion Policy in the period 2014-2020.The other Operational Programmeisthe “Employment, Human Resources and Social Cohesion”, which is co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative.

The OP “Competitiveness and Sustainable Development”constitutesa programming document that includes specific priorities and indicative categories of interventions which will be implemented during the period 2014-2020, contributing towards the strategic objective of the Partnership Agreement for the restructuring of the economy, the preservation and creation of new jobs and the safeguarding of social cohesion.

The total budget of the Programme amounts to €661mln, from which €561.8mln (85%)will be financed by ERDF and the Cohesion Fund, whereas the remaining 15% will be financedby national resources.

Within the framework of the OP “Competitiveness and Sustainable Development”, interventions planned will contribute to the enhancement of economy’s competitiveness through investment in the sectors of Research and Innovation and Information and Communication Technologies and SMEs support. Interventions are also planned in the sectors of Environment, Energy and Transport, as well as for promoting integrated sustainable urban development in deprived areas.

The interventions will include investments of the broader public sector, as well as grant schemes/incentives addressed to the private sector.

TheOP“Competitiveness and Sustainable Development” 2014- 2020,was approved by a European Commission’s Implementing Decision on 16th December 2014.