The reform of the Structural Funds 2000-6: Objective 1 eligibiity and allocation criteria

The project involved research tracing and analysing the evolution of Objective 1 eligibility and funding through the 1994-9 and 2000-6 programme periods, focussing on the negotiations on the draft Structural Funds Regulation in the first quarter of 1999. The study comprised: an overview of the 1993 reform of the Structural Funds, focusing on eligibility and financial allocations under Objective 1; an examination of the Commission proposals for Objective 1 for the period 2000-6; a consideration of the main alternative scenarios put forward during the course of the Council negotiations; and an overview and analysis of the outcome of those negotiations.