What are European Funds?

What are European Structural Funds?

The European Union gives financial aid to less developed regions of Europe in the form of European Structural Funds. European Funds make a difference and are targeted on specific problems or areas of economic need.

European Funds in Scotland are managed by five Programme Management Executives across Scotland.

In Western Scotland, SEP Ltd manages this Scotland-wide Innovative Actions Programme, the Western Scotland Objective 2 Programme and the Clyde Waterfront URBAN II Community Initiative.

The Western Scotland Objective 2 and Clyde Waterfront URBAN II Programmes are managed within a partnership context. Around 200 agencies are involved in Strathclyde European Partnership, including the Scottish Executive, local authorities, enterprise bodies, further and higher education, voluntary and community organisations and the environmental and equality agencies.

There are similar organisations in the Highlands & Islands, the East and South of Scotland, as well as a Scottish ESF Objective 3 Partnership operating in Lowland Scotland.