Press Release: Structural funds: Commission approves the Objective 1 single programming documents for Norra Norrland and Södra Skogslänen (Sweden) for the period 2000-2006

On 17.5.00 the Commission approved the draft single programming documents (SPD) for regional development in Norra Norrland and Södra Skogslänen (Sweden) over the next seven years. These programmes concern Objective 1 of the Structural Funds (regions whose development is lagging behind) and represent €748 million of Community financing, of which 52% will be earmarked for Norra Norrland and 48% for Södra Skogslänen. Altogether, this EU funding will mobilise over €2 billion in investment in the two Objective 1 areas, of which about one third will be co-financing from the private sector. There will be separate budgets for the inland areas and the coastal areas (the special programme) in each programme.