EPRC has been awarded a project by Scotland Europa to review policy support structures in selected EU countries and regions and to identify the lessons for Scotland.
Against a background of lower EU funding under the mainstream Structural Funds programmes (for the Highlands & Islands and Lowlands & Uplands Scotland), Scotland Europa is keen to maximise funding opportunities under other EU programmes - for R&D, life-long learning, networks and territorial cooperation. EPRC is studying policy support structures in Finland, Ireland and Sweden and the regions of Emilia-Romagna (Italy) and Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany) with a view to comparing their experiences with those of Scotland. The study should help to identify ways in which Scotland's approach to supporting the attraction of EU funding might be improved.