Article 6

Under the European territorial cooperation objective, the ERDF shall focus its assistance on the following priorities: the development of cross-border economic, social and environmental activities through joint strategies for sustainable territorial development, and primarily: by encouraging entrepreneurship, in particular the development of SMEs, tourism, culture, and cross-border trade; by encouraging and improving the joint protection and management of natural and cultural resources, as well as the prevention of natural and technological risks; by supporting links between urban and rural areas; by reducing isolation through improved access to transport, information and communication networks and services, and cross-border water, waste and energy systems and facilities; by developing collaboration, capacity and joint use of infrastructures, in particular in sectors such as health, culture, tourism and education. In addition, the ERDF may contribute to promoting legal and administrative cooperation, the integration of cross-border labour markets, local employment initiatives, gender equality and equal opportunities, training and social inclusion, and sharing of human resources and facilities for R&TD. As regards the PEACE Programme between Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland as envisaged under paragraph 22 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, the ERDF shall in addition to the abovementioned actions contribute to promote social and economic stability in the regions concerned, notably by actions to promote cohesion between communities; the establishment and development of transnational cooperation, including bilateral cooperation between maritime regions not covered under point 1, through the financing of networks and of actions conducive to integrated territorial development, concentrating primarily on the following priority areas: innovation: the creation and development of scientific and technological networks, and the enhancement of regional R&TD and innovation capacities, where these make a direct contribution to the balanced economic development of transnational areas. Actions may include: the establishment of networks between appropriate tertiary education and research institutions and SMEs; links to improve access to scientific knowledge and technology transfer between R&TD facilities and international centres of RTD excellence; twinning of technology transfer institutions; and development of joint financial engineering instruments directed at supporting R&TD in SMEs; environment: water management, energy efficiency, risk prevention and environmental protection activities with a clear transnational dimension. Actions may include: protection and management of river basins, coastal zones, marine resources, water services and wetlands; fire, drought and flood prevention; the promotion of maritime security and protection against natural and technological risks; and protection and enhancement of the natural heritage in support of socio-economic development and sustainable tourism; accessibility: activities to improve access to and quality of transport and telecommunications services where these have a clear transnational dimension. Actions may include: investments in cross-border sections of trans-European networks; improved local and regional access to national and transnational networks; enhanced interoperability of national and regional systems; and promotion of advanced information and communication technologies; sustainable urban development: strengthening polycentric development at transnational, national and regional level, with a clear transnational impact. Actions may include: the creation and improvement of urban networks and urban-rural links; strategies to tackle common urban-rural issues; preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage, and the strategic integration of development zones on a transnational basis. Assistance to bilateral cooperation between maritime regions may be extended to the priorities referred to in point 1; reinforcement of the effectiveness of regional policy by promoting: interregional cooperation focusing on innovation and the knowledge economy and environment and risk prevention in the sense of Article 5(1) and (2); exchanges of experience concerning the identification, transfer and dissemination of best practice including on sustainable urban development as referred to in Article 8; and actions involving studies, data collection, and the observation and analysis of development trends in the Community.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-02 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.