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The Cohesion Fund

The Cohesion Fund supports improvement of environment and transport infrastructures in order to promote economic and social cohesion. The fund is restricted to states with a GNP less than 90 per cent of the EU average (currently Greece, Spain, Ireland and Portugal). Unlike the Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund does support individual projects (or stages of projects) which are clearly identified from the start. These individual projects are managed by the national authorities and supervised by a Monitoring Committee.

For the period 2000 to 2006, the allocation is EUR 18 billion.

Applications for projects are submitted through Member States to the European Commission. The Commission makes decisions on projects in agreement with the beneficiary Member State. The Cohesion Fund covers between 80 per cent and 85 per cent of public or equivalent expenditure on projects.
 

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