The Regional Council has approved two Notices which start the implementation phase of the Territorial Strategies, allocating 40.6 million to the development of the Functional Urban Areas involving 8 cities and 130 municipalities and 65.5 million for the strategies of the 7 Internal Areas with 138 local authorities. These notices are part of the ERDF Regional Program 2021-2027, co-financed with regional resources.
The president of the regional council, Marco Marsilio, underlined the importance of active mobilization of the territory and institutional collaboration between municipalities for the development of Territorial Strategies. “The Abruzzo Region puts the territory at the center of its policies for development and cohesion, aware that the well-being of local communities, the vitality of production systems and the good functioning of infrastructures and services are fundamental – underlined Marsilio – In the 2021 programming -2027, we have allocated significant resources to new projects in the fields of environmental and cultural enhancement, tourism, access to essential services, business support, environmental sustainability, digital connections and social inclusion. The current focus is on Territorial Strategies for Functional Urban Areas and Internal Areas. Even outside of these strategies, the municipalities of Abruzzo will benefit from cohesion funding, including those for the green transition, productive development and employment support”.
The Abruzzo ERDF 2021-2027 PR allocates 40.6 million euros to Functional Urban Areas and 38 million to internal areas, supplemented by 27.5 million interventions from the Abruzzo ESF+ PR to combat depopulation. Overall, these strategies involve 96% of the regional population and 90% of the territory. The areas not covered by these programs benefit from other resources, such as the Mountain Fund, for total coverage of the regional territory.
Territorial coalitions will be able to present candidatures to implement strategies on the themes of economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection. The Abruzzo Region will ensure constant monitoring and technical support to the selected coalitions, through an ongoing dialogue between regional institutions and local communities.
“We will conclude the selection process and the financing of the territorial strategies within the expected timeframe, remaining alongside the local authorities to strengthen the administrative capacity ensured by the proximity facilities of the Skills Hub” – stated Marsilio.
With the approval of the notices, the Abruzzo Region will start the governance of the strategies, promoting participatory and transparent management of the projects. The ERDF Regional Program finances investments in the skills of local authorities, also through training and support actions to improve administrative capacity through the Skills Hub Project.
On 9 July, a webinar open to all territorial coalitions will be held during which the Single Management Authority of the ERDF ESF+ Funds of the Abruzzo Region will illustrate the methods of implementing the strategies, the forms and deadlines for submission, the provision of resources financial to support territorial coalitions in building strategies.
