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MacKay Welcomes European Commission Approval Of £200 Million European Funding
29/11/2000
Angus MacKay today welcomed the European Commission's approval in principle of Objective 2 Programmes worth approx £157 million in the East of Scotland and £46 million in the South of Scotland.
Mr MacKay said:
"I am delighted that the Objective 2 Programmes for the East and the South of Scotland have today been approved in principle by the Commission. Between them, these Programmes should create around 20,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 16,000.
"The programmes will complement the Executive's own commitment to social justice as well as focussing on economic development, supporting SMEs and developing strategic sites and locations."
The Minister added:
"This demonstrates again how Scotland benefits from Europe. Following formal approval later this year, we will work hard to ensure that these programmes have maximum impact and provide a lasting legacy for Scotland."
BACKGROUND
1. Draft programmes for the East and South of Scotland Objective 2 were submitted to the European Commission in April 2000. This was followed by intensive negotiations involving the Commission, the Scottish Executive and local partners. Approval in principle has now been granted; formal approval from the Commission is expected by the end of the year.
2. The South of Scotland programme is worth ?73.13m (approx £45.71m) and should create 3200 new jobs while safeguarding a further 1000. Applications are expected by 18 January 2001.
3. The South of Scotland Programme area incorporates Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders - the whole area is eligible apart from Tweeddale, around Peebles, which is transitional.
4. The East of Scotland programme is worth ?250.54m (approx £156.59m) and should create 17,000 new jobs while safeguarding a further 15,000. Applications are expected by 23 February 2001.
5. The East of Scotland Programme area stretches from the Lothian's in the South to the coast of Moray in the North. Eligible areas include Clackmannanshire, parts of Fife, Midlothian, Falkirk, Stirling, West Lothian, Angus and Dundee City and the fishing areas of Moray and Aberdeenshire. All areas that were eligible under the previous Eastern Scotland Objective 2 programme and the Rural Stirling and Upper Tayside and North and West Grampian Objective 5b areas and which do not have Objective 2 eligibility in this round can get transitional funding at a lower rate.
- Details of the programmes are available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/esf
http://www.esep.co.uk
http://www.sosep.org.uk
News Release: SE3071/2000
29 Nov 2000