The three main funds

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): for strengthening competitiveness through helping regions to anticipate and promote economic change through innovation and the promotion of the knowledge society, entrepreneurship, the protection of the environment, and the improvement of theirs accessibility. It also supports cross-border co-operation through joint local and regional initiatives, trans-national co-operation aiming at integrated territorial development, and interregional co-operation and exchange of experience. Cohesion fund: the least-developed Member States and regions, i.e. Member States whose GNI (Gross National Income) is lower than 90% of the EU average, can benefit from the Cohesion Fund. Assistance from the Cohesion Fund shall be given to actions in the areas of trans-European transport networks and the environment within the priorities assigned to Community environment protection policy under the policy and action programme on the environment (including energy and renewable energy, rail, river and sea transport, intermodal transport systems and their interoperability, management of road, sea and air traffic, clean urban transport and public transport). Formally speaking, the Cohesion Fund is not a “Structural Fund” but as the programming is since 2007 done in an integrated manner with the ERDF, the distinction is not very relevant for beneficiaries. European Social Fund (ESF): strengthening competitiveness and employment buy helping Member States and regions to enhance access to employment and sustainable inclusion in the labour market, adapt the workforce, their enterprises and entrepreneurs with a vie to improving the anticipation and positive management of economic change, in particular by promoting lifelong learning and increased investment in human resources, the development of qualifications and competences, the dissemination of information and communication technologies, e-learning, eco-friendly technologies as well as promotion of innovation and business star-up.