Memo: Operational Programme North Sea Region 2007-13 between Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom (with participation from Norway)

On 3 October 2007, the European Commission approved a transnational cooperation Operational Programme between Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom (with participation from Norway). The North Sea Region Programme falls within the framework laid out for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective and has a total budget of around €274 million.

Community funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) amounts to some €134 million, which represents approximately 1.5% of the total EU investment earmarked for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective under the Cohesion Policy for 2007-13.

The North Sea Region Programme runs from 2007 to 2013 and will provide Community support to 38 NUTS II areas in the participating EU Member States (along with all of Norway). The Programme covers a population of about 60 million people and an area of 664 000 km.