European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund contributes to reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and reducing the backwardness of the least-favoured regions, paying particular attention to regions exposed to severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps, such as the northernmost regions with very low population density, islands, cross-border and mountain regions.
Specific rules on the European Regional Development Fund are set out in the Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund.
The Cohesion Fund was set up in order to contribute to the overall objective of strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion of the Union by providing financial contributions in the fields of environment and trans-European networks in the area of transport infrastructure (TEN-T).
Specific rules on the Cohesion Fund are set out in the Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund.
On 17 November 2017, the European Pillar of Social Rights was jointly proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission as a response to social challenges in Europe. The 20 key principles of the Pillar are structured in three categories: equal opportunities and access to the labour market; fair working conditions; and social protection and inclusion. The 20 principles of the Pillar should guide the actions under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). In order to contribute to the implementation of the Pillar, the ESF+ should support investments in people and systems in the policy areas of employment, education and social inclusion, thereby supporting economic, territorial and social cohesion in accordance with Article 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)
Specific rules on the European Social Fund Plus are set out in the Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013.
The Just Transition Fund provides dedicated financing under the Just Transition Mechanism in the context of Cohesion Policy to address the economic, social and environmental costs of the transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy.
Specific rules on the Just Transition Fund are set out in the Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the Just Transition Fund.
In addition to the aforementioned sectoral regulations for each individual fund which govern the implementation of Cohesion Policy in the 2021-2027 financial period, in June 2021 and with retroactive effect from 1 January 2021, the umbrella regulation governing the preparation and implementation of funds resulting from it came into force:
Besides the abovementioned funds (ERDF, CF, ESF+ and JTF), the CPR also encompasses funds which do not fall within the competence of the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds:
HOME AFFAIRS FUNDS – a more open and secure Europe requires adequate funding that is directed to those policy areas where we are facing collective security challenges. Part of EU funding is therefore dedicated to Home Affairs Funds, which play a key role in implementing operational cooperation between EU member states.
In the context of the growing migration challenges marked by the need to support strong reception, asylum, integration and migration systems in the member states, to prevent and adequately address pressures and to replace illegal and unsafe arrivals with legal and safe ones, investing in efficient and coordinated management migration in the Union is crucial to achieving the Union’s objective of establishing an area of freedom, security and justice.
Specific rules on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund are set out in the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
In the context of growing migration challenges in the European Union, as well as security issues, maintaining the right balance between the free movement of people on the one hand and security on the other is of the utmost importance. The Union’s objective of ensuring a high level of security in the area of freedom, security and justice in accordance with Article 67 (3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) should be achieved, inter alia, by joint measures on the crossing of internal borders, external border control and common visa policy.
Specific rules on the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy are set out in the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing, as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy.
The Union’s objective of ensuring a high level of security within an area of freedom, security and justice pursuant to Article 67 (3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) should be achieved, inter alia, through measures to prevent and combat crime as well as through measures for coordination and cooperation between law enforcement authorities and other national authorities of member states, including with relevant Union agencies and other relevant Union bodies, and with relevant third countries and international organisations.
Specific rules on the Internal Security Fund are set out in the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Internal Security Fund.
COMMON FISHERIES POLICY – The primary goal of the Common Fisheries Policy, as revised in 2002, is to ensure sustainable fisheries and guarantee incomes and stable jobs for fishermen.
The Fund aims to channel resources from the Union budget to support the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the Union’s maritime policy and the Union’s international commitments in the field of ocean governance, in particular in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The basis for the implementation of funds arising from Cohesion and the Common Fisheries Policy are the programming documents – the Partnership Agreement and the programmes. These programming documents can be adopted by the European Commission only after the adoption of the abovementioned legal framework.
Specific rules on the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund are set out in the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Common Agricultural Policy Funds – The European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) are not covered by the CPR in the financial period 2021-2027, however their allocations are included in the financial envelope for the Republic of Croatia in the amount of over € 25 billion.
For more information, please visit the website of Ministry of Agriculture, the competent authority for EAGF and EAFRD in the Republic of Croatia.
