Border, Midland and West Region (BMW)
The next round of EU Structural and Cohesion funding will cover the period 2007-2013. Under
article 6 of the General Regulation (EC) 1083/2006, regions not covered by the Convergence Objective
will be eligible for assistance under the Competitiveness and Employment Objective. This will include
the BMW NUTS II region which will qualify as a phasing-in under the transitional arrangements as a
previous Objective 1 region which now has a per capita GDP above 75% of the EU25 average. It is
expected that the BMW Region will receive c. €458 million in total structural funding over
the period, of which 50% (c. €229 million) will be from the European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF).
The Irish Government, as set out in the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007-2013
has decided that Ireland's Structural Fund allocations 2007-2013 are to be delivered through two
Regional Operational Programmes (one respectively for the Border Midland & Western and Southern &
Eastern Regions and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund) and one National Investment
Programme (Human Capital Investment programme and co-financed by the European Social Fund).
Given the agreed objectives of Cohesion policy, Structural Funds will be concentrated on
implementing community policies, namely the renewed Lisbon Agenda and the Gothenburg Declaration. The
specific focus will be on innovation and the knowledge economy, environment and risk minimisation,
accessibility to services of general interest (e.g. broadband, transport infrastructure), increasing
adaptability of workers and enterprises, enhancing access to employment, and social inclusion
measures. This OP is designed to set out a development strategy, including a coherent set of
priorities to meet the strategic objectives that have been set for the Regional OP.
For further information on the Border, Midland & Western Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013
see: