EPRC organises international conference on State Aids and Structural Funds

http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/seggau2l.jpg <img src="http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/seggau2.jpg" width="184" height="103" border="0" align="left As part of EPRC's http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/iqnet/default.cfm IQ-Net research programme on Structural Funds (managed by Laura Polverari), the Centre organised an international conference on State aids and Structural Funds on 3-5 June 2009 in Schloss Seggau, Steiermark (Austria) in collaboration with by the http://www.verwaltung.steiermark.at Regional Government of Styria (Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung).The conference was attended by over 40 delegates from 14 countries as well as from the European Commission. Under EU Regulations, the implementation of the Structural Funds has to comply with EU competition policy and specifically State aid rules, but this involves a number of challenges both as regards the substance of what constitutes a State aid and the procedures that need to be put in place to ensure compliance with State aid rules. <p> http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/seggau1l.jpg <img src="http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/seggau1.jpg" width="184" height="103" border="0" align="right The conference gave participants the opportunity to discuss such challenges, based on EPRC research and a background paper by Fiona Wishlade and Rona Michie on the conceptual and operational challenges associated with State aids. A further theme of the conference was the implementation of the 2007-13 Structural Funds programmes, including the recent measures undertaken by DG Regio to respond to the economic crisis, based again on EPRC research and a background paper by Carlos Mendez and Stefan Kah of EPRC. Following the meeting, a study tour was organised by the Styrian Government to demonstrate how European funding was being used to support the region's food and drink cluster.