EIRP Proceedings, Vol 3 (2008)

Abstract

The Structural Funds are mainly used for infrastructure development, productive investment,
local and regional economic development, improvement of human resources and environmental protection. In
principle, the objective of the funds is to promote economic development—meaning boosting growth în the
regions în order to ensure real convergence, not simply to subsidize the standard of living. The operating
principles governing the use of Structural Funds, which are to ensure that its aims are wellrespected, include the
following: concentration—to ensure that Funds go to the most needy areas and projects, programming—the
development of a strategic plan, additionality—this principle attempts to ensure that EU funding is
supplementary, as opposed to a replacement of indigenous (national, local, private sector) spending în the
recipient economy; partnership—used în the sense of the shared responsibility (co-funding) taken on by the
member state or local government, and also the coordination with different sectoral actors, social partners, and
the private sector.