COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION
of 18 February 2014
setting out the list of regions eligible for funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund and of Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund for the period 2014-2020
(notified under document C(2014) 974)
(2014/99/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (1), and in particular Article 90(4) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
The European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund support the ‘Investment for growth and jobs’ goal in all regions corresponding to level 2 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics (hereinafter referred to as ‘NUTS level 2’), which was established by Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 105/2007 (3).
(2)
Pursuant to Article 90(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 it is necessary that the Commission sets up a list of regions fulfilling the respective criteria of each of the three categories of regions (less developed regions, transition regions and more developed regions) at NUTS level 2.
(3)
Pursuant to Article 90(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 it is also necessary that the Commission sets up the list of Member States that are eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund and a list of Member States that shall receive support from the Cohesion Fund on a transitional and specific basis.
(4)
According to point 32 of the Conclusions on the multiannual financial framework 2014-20 adopted by the European Council of 7/8 February 2013, at the request of a Member State, NUTS level 2 regions which have been merged by Commission Regulation (EU) No 31/2011 (4), and where the application of the modified NUTS classification results in changes in the eligibility category status of one or more of the regions concerned, shall be part of the category determined at the level of the modified NUTS region. Consequently this Decision should be coherent with these Conclusions.
(5)
For reasons of transparency, the codes and names of the NUTS level 2 regions applicable from 1 January 2012 in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 31/2011 should also be included into the annexes to this Decision.
(6)
The list of eligible regions and Member States should therefore be set up accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The regions under the less-developed category eligible for funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) are listed in Annex I.
Article 2
The regions under the transition category eligible for funding from the ERDF and the ESF are listed in Annex II.
Article 3
The regions under the more-developed category eligible for funding from the ERDF and the ESF are listed in Annex III.
Article 4
The Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund are listed in Annex IV.
Article 5
The Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund on a transitional and specific basis are listed in Annex V.
Article 6
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 18 February 2014.