In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, the Commission presents this report setting out an overview of the implementation of the Structural Funds (2000-2006) in 2010.
It notes that 2010 was the eleventh year in which Structural Funds programmes and projects for the 2000-2006 programming period were implemented. Altogether 226 Objective 1 and Objective 2, 47 Objective 3, 12 Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) (outside Objective 1), 81 INTERREG, 71 URBAN, 27 EQUAL, 73 LEADER+ and 181 Innovative Action programmes were managed in 2010.
Even though no further commitments could be made in 2010, sums were disbursed in respect of 2000-2006 Structural Funds assistance. Implementation of the 2010 budget was excellent. In terms of payment appropriations, 100.0% of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 97.0% of the European Social Fund (ESF), 30.7% of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)-Guidance budget available at the end of 2010 (after a reduction of EUR 13.9 million and 100.0% of FIFG resources were used (compared to 100.0% ERDF, 97.0% ESF, 97.9% EAGGF and 69.5% FIFG in 2009).
The recovery package proposed by the Commission in response to the financial crisis allowed for an extension of six (or twelve) months to be granted on a programme-by-programme basis for those Member States, which opted for it. This flexibility allowed Member States and regions to maximise the absorption of the allocated funds by addressing unexpected programme implementation challenges and, consequently, achieve the objectives of the programmes.