The €38.3 billion paid out in 2008 was channelled through four Structural Funds – the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund – Guidance (EAGGF-G) and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), along with the Cohesion Fund. €26.8 billion was paid out for programmes and projects from the 2000-2006 period and €11.5 for 2007-2013.
2000-2006 programming period
The total funding allocated to Member States in the 2000-2006 budgetary period was €257 billion. So far, €225 billion have been paid out – 87.5% of the total. Member States can make payments for this period up to 30 June 2009 for the Structural Funds, following the Commission's decision to extend the deadline by six months. The deadline for Cohesion Fund payments is in most cases the end of 2010.
2007-2013 programming period
The total funding allocated to the Member States over the period 2007-2013 amounts to €347 billion.
- In 2007 and 2008, the European Commission made advance payments totalling €18.1 billion to the Member States.
- In 2009, the current regulations foresee advances amounting to €5 billion.
- Under the Recovery Plan, the Commission proposed to inject additional advances of €6.25 billion in 2009 (see MEMO/08/740). This proposal has been approved in principle by the Council and is currently under discussion in the European Parliament, with a vote expected on 24 March.
Project preparation is moving ahead quickly: according to initial estimates, more than 40.000 projects have already been selected in the Member States, including 60 "major projects" (total cost exceeds €25 million in the case of an environment project and €50 million in other fields).