Accessing European funds remains MRDT priority

The Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism (MRDT) permanently evaluates the state of European programs it manages, in order to identify the most efficient alternatives to increase the absorption of European funds

This is also the case of the Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013 (Regio), for which, during the recent months, the MRDT, as Managing Authority, has taken decisions to reallocate funds within the programme, which will lead to a higher rate accessing.

Thus, last year, the MRDT found a relatively low demand for financing for the rehabilitation and reconversion of polluted industrial sites (Key Area of Intervention 4.2), as compared to other areas. To prevent the possibility that the funds allocated to KAI 4.2 remain unused, the MRDT proposed the European Commission (EC) their partial reallocation to ROP areas that registered a faster pace for submitting financing applications and which, at the same time, generate jobs and contribute to improving economic conditions in all 8 development regions.

Immediately after obtaining the EC approval, the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism implemented the reallocation decision. The redistributed funds will finance projects aimed at improving people's access to the health infrastructure and the quality of health services, as well as at boosting the business environment in the regions.

Of the 200.09 million euros initially allocated from the European Development Fund for KAI 4.2, a total of 172.85 million euros were redistributed to other key areas of intervention, as follows:

• 26.65 million euros for the rehabilitation, modernisation, equipping of health services infrastructure;
• 13.31 million euros for the sustainable development of business support structures of regional and local importance;
• 28.47 million euros to support the development of micro enterprises;
• 39, 84 million for restoration and sustainable valorisation of the cultural heritage, as well as the creation / modernisation of the related infrastructures;
• 64.58 million euros for projects to create, develop, modernise  the tourism infrastructure, to valorise natural resources and increase the quality of tourism services.

Until 10 February 2012, 2627 contracts were signed, totalling 4,985.95 million euros, of which 3,144.05 million euros from the ERDF (representing 84.38% of the ERDF allocation of the Regional Operational Programme), the target for contracting in 2012 being 100%.

Payments to beneficiaries amounted to 1,098.55 million euros, of which 1,000.58 million from the ERDF (representing 26.85% of the ERDF allocation of the Regional Operational Programme). The European Commission reimbursed ERDF amounts of 437.24 million euros (representing 11.73% of the ERDF allocation of the Regional Operational Programme), the target for absorption proposed for 2012 amounting to the value of 788.34 million euros, so the total amount reimbursed by the EC at the end of 2012 will be 1225.58 million euros, representing 32.90% of the ERDF allocation of the ROP.