The European Structural Funds and the SPD
The European Structural Funds are designed to assist areas of the European Union that compare unfavourably with the Union's average levels of prosperity. Their purpose is to create a united Europe which is competitive and balances economic efficiency with social justice.

SPD stands for Single Programming Document. Following an extensive consultation, of which this website is a part, this document will influence how European money is spent over the period 2000-2006.

Parts of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire are eligible to receive Objective 2 funding of around £500m from the European Union. Objective 2 represents a form of funding designed to specifically assist areas that have suffered through industrial and rural decline. By supporting projects that support regeneration, Objective 2 funding aims to create jobs and establish patterns of sustainable economic growth.

In addition to receiving Objective 2 funding, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire will be eligible for around £240m in Objective 3 support. Providing money that comes from the European Social Fund or ESF, Objective 3 helps people gain access to work, adapt to changes in employment and promotes equal opportunities.

The SPD will provide the strategic framework within which the North West's Objective 2 and Objective 3 allocation will be spent. It will spell out the region's priorities and what it hopes to achieve with EU money. This, in turn, will affect the type of projects that can apply for, and receive, European Funding.