Welcome to Objective 2 programme North of the Netherlands

1. Welcome to Objective 2 programme North of the Netherlands DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

2. 1. Introduction The European Commission has decided to actively participate in the development of the northern part of the Netherlands by co-financing the Objective 2 Programme for the period 2000-2006. The Structural Fund will contribute 341,9 million Euros to the total budget of 1.237,450 million Euros. DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

3. 1.2 The map of the eligible area DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

4. 1.3 Description of the eligible area The programme involves three provinces in northern Netherlands: Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe. This region of 1.364.000 residents is characterised by a limited economic structure with a small percentage of small- and medium-sized businesses and few local employment initiatives.Historically, the economy in the North has been based upon traditional, labour-intensive industry, such as apparel manufacturing. Today, the proportion of agriculture and industry is still higher than the Dutch average. New sectors, such as telecommunications, medical technology and biotechnology, are beginning to emerge. DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

5. 1.3 Description of the eligible area Businesses have difficulty turning a profit because of the uniformity of the economic sector. Yet it is believed that the three provinces in question have great potential and that it will be possible to overcome weaknesses by consolidating economic activity in centralized areas. The concentration of personal and professional spheres in centralised areas allows for urban areas to save time and money, which stimulates economic growth and diversification while favouring the construction of facilities and infrastructure. DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

6. 1.4 Main regional indicators in EU and in the Netherlands in 1988-1998-9Source: Second report on Economic and Social Cohesion, January 2001 Economy Labour market GDP/head Empl. rate%,1999 Unempl. rate% 1988 1998 Agri. Indust. Servi. 1989 1999 EU 15100,0 100,0 4,5 29,2 66,0 8,4 9,4Nederland 97,7 111,0 3,0 21,2 70,6 8,4 3,3 Noord Nederland 94,2 104,9 3,9 24,9 65,9 10,8 5,3 Groningen 119,1 130,8 2,4 23,5 67,8 12,4 6,0 Friesland 79,7 93,3 3,8 26,2 65,2 11,0 4,1 Drenthe 82,4 89,4 5,9 24,8 64,6 8,2 5,9 Oost-Nederland 83,9 96,4 3,6 23,6 67,6 8,9 3,0 Overijssel 86,2 96,9 4,0 28,4 62,4 9,0 3,1 Gelderland 83,9 98,6 3,5 21,6 69,5 8,8 3,0 Flevoland 72,7 80,8 3,1 18,9 73,6 8,7 3,1 West-Nederland 107,0 125,3 2,3 16,3 76,3 8,0 3,1 Utrecht 103,4 142,4 1,1 15,7 78,5 7,3 2,3 Noord-Holland 111,7 131,9 2,3 15,0 77,8 8,1 3,3 Zuid-Holland 104,7 117,7 2,6 16,5 75,7 8,4 3,2 Zeeland 107,0 100,6 4,0 26,5 63,9 6,7 3,5Zuid-Nederland 92,1 107,1 3,7 27,6 63,4 8,1 3,1Noord-Brabant 93,5 111,9 3,6 27,5 64,1 8,1 2,8Limburg (NL) 89,5 97,1 3,8 27,7 62,0 8,0 3,7 DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

7. 2. Development strategy 2.1 Description of the strategy: The development strategy is based upon the following tracks: Enforcement of the market sector and concentration within the economic core zones Vitalisation of urban areas Creation of an attractive rural area as a condition for a balanced development DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

8. 2. Development strategy 2.2 Expected program impact and specific objectives: The plan includes the following socio-economic indicators: GRP per inhabitant Available space for business sites Net balance of new attracted companies Number of companies established Investments (as % of total investments in NL) DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

9. 2. Development strategy 2.2 Expected program impact and specific objectives: The plan includes the following socio-economic indicators: Labour participation grade Employment Unemployment Participation grade women Produced and processed garbage Water pollution Natural reserves DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

10. 3. Priorities and measures Priority 1: Enforcement market sector Measure 1.1 Improvement establishment conditions new and existing companies: Construction of new business sites in economic core-zones Revitalisation of existing, well situated business sites Development of flexible housing facilities for young entrepreneurs Improvement of the accessibility of the economic core zones DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

11. 3. Priorities and measures Measure 1.2 Stimulating market sector: Schemes aimed at increasing knowledge level of SMEs Instruments for financing SMEs and in particular starters and entrepreneurs Enforcement of the knowledge offer Stimulation of knowledge transfer (transfer of innovative processes by intermediate organisations) Setting up industrial analyses in view of developing sector oriented projects with a structural impact DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

12. 3. Priorities and measures Measure 1.3 Enforcement tourist infrastructure: Improvement, enlargement and renovation of different kind of tourist routes Physical investments in order to diversify and qualitatively improve the offer in the area of tourism and recreation Improvement of water-sports facilities by enlarging possibilities for touring and improving DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

13. 3. Priorities and measures Priority 2: Development urban centres Measure 2.1 Improvement business locations in urban areas: Development of small-scale business locations Redevelopment of small and rather badly situated business areas in city centres Renewal of station environment in favour of office development, with focus on an intensified utilisation of space and good connection with city centre Development of business locations in neighbourhood of knowledge institutes DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

14. 3. Priorities and measures Measure 2.2 Urban facilities and urban economy: enforcement of offer of driving tourism-, recreation, and cultural facilities, by preference combined with preservation of cultural-historical heritage Enforcement of local economical activities (bottom-up) in order to enforce the vitality of the neighbourhood Actions destined to improve the viability of neighbourhoods DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

15. 3. Priorities and measures Priority 3: Operation of labour market Measure 3.1 Operation of labour market: Contribute to an improved Human Resources policy by enterprises Stimulation of experimental and innovative initiatives contributing to facilitate labour demand and offer Improve compliance between professional schooling and the requirements of the industry DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

16. 3. Priorities and measures Priority 4: Technical Assistance: Measure 4.1 TA – managing costs Managing and monitoring expenses Measure 4.2 TA – other expenditure Promotion, publicity and evaluation DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

17. 4. Management and contact information The SNN (Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland), the co-operation body of the Northern Netherlands, is the Management Authority for the Objective 2 Programme. It co-ordinates the activities of all parties involved in the implementation of the programme and organises meetings of the Monitoring Committee.The programmes are conducted in close consultation with representatives of local and socio-economic partners. DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

18. 4. Management and contact information Provincie Drenthe - Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland (SNN)Provinciehuis - Westerbrink 1Postbus 122NL-9400 AC AssenTel.: +31.592.365573Fax.: +31.592.365777E-mail.: mailto:info@snnonline.nlWeb: Drenthe DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

19. 4. Management and contact information Provincie Friesland - Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland (SNN)Provinciehuis - Tweebaksmarkt 52Postbus 20120NL-8900 HM LeeuwardenTel.: +31.58.2925161E-mail.: mailto:info@snnonline.nlWeb: Friesland DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

20. 4. Management and contact information Samenwerkingsverband Noord-NederlandLaan Corpus den Hoorn 200 - Postbus 779NL-9700 AT GroningenTel.: +31.50.5224900/4940Fax.: +31.50.5276091E-mail.: mailto:subsidie-info@snnonline.nlWeb: Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland (SNN) DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

21. 4. Management and contact information Provincie Groningen - Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland (SNN)Provinciehuis - Martinikerhof, 12Postbus 610NL-9700 AP GroningenTel.: +31.50.3164452E-mail.: mailto:info@snnonline.nlWeb: Groningen DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

22. 4. Management and contact information European Commission: Mr. Willebrord. Sluyters DG Regio D3 (Benelux, Austria) CSM1, 6/97 B-1049 Brussels Tel.: +32-2- 295 46 67 Fax: +32-2- 296 64 71 e-mail: willebrordus.sluyters@cec.eu.int DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

23. 5. Financial and technical information Title : Objective 2 Programme for the North of the NetherlandsIntervention type : Single Programming DocumentCCI No. : 2000NL162DO001No. of decision : C(2001)1402 Final approval date : 19-JUL-01 DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

24. 6. Financial breakdown Breakdown of Finances by priority area (in millions of Euros) Priority area Total EU Public aid cost cont. (EC+oth.) 1 Consolidation of the private sector 910.285 201.045 546.9452 Development of urban centres 181.115 81.500 181.1153 Improve the functioning of the labour market 136.700 54.680 136.7004 Technical assistance 9.350 4.675 9.350 Total 1237.450 341.900 874.110 Financial Breakdown by Funds (in millions of Euros) EU Contribution ERDF Total : 341.900 341.900 100.00% 100.00% DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL

25. 2. Development strategy The plan has also identified of indicators on priority level. Per priority two to three indicators are distinguished, quantified and labelled (result-output). Examples are: number of jobs created (over 6000 jobs), revitalisation of business sites (150 ha) and SMEs participating in Humane Resource projects (750). DG REGIO/Unit D3/PL