Memo: Austria-Slovenia Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme 2007-2013

On 21 December 2007, the European Commission approved a Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme between Slovenia and Austria for the period 2007-13. The Programme involves providing Community support as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for specific Austrian and Slovenian regions that lie along their common border.

The core programme area includes the Austrian regions of Oststeiermark West and Südsteiermark, Klagenfurt – Villach, Unterkärnten and Südburgenland, along with the Slovenian regions of Gorenjsko, Koroško, Savinjsko, Podravsko and Pomursko. All of the above are classed as NUTS III regions. The areas of Graz, Obersteiermark Ost, Obersteiermark West and Oberkärnten in Austria and Osrednjeslovensko in Slovenia may take part in projects as an adjacent area, i.e. receiving a maximum 20% of the ERDF funding allocated to the Programme.

The Operational Programme falls within the framework laid out for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective and has a total budget of around €79 million. Community funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) amounts to some €67 million, which represents approximately 0.8% of the total EU investment earmarked for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective under the Cohesion Policy 2007-13.