1.The regional development component may support operations under the following priorities:
(a)transport infrastructure, in particular interconnection and interoperability between national networks, and between national and trans-European networks;
(b)environment measures related to waste management, water supply, urban waste water and air quality; rehabilitation of contaminated sites and land; areas related to sustainable development which present environmental benefits, namely energy efficiency and renewable energy;
(c)operations which enhance regional competitiveness and a productive environment, and encourage creation and safeguarding of sustainable employment, involving in particular:
provision of business and technology services for enterprises, particularly in the fields of management, market research and development and networking;
access and use of information and communication technologies;
promotion of technological development, research and innovation including through cooperation with tertiary education and research institutions and research and technology centres;
development of business networks and clusters;
creation and development of financing instruments which facilitate access to revolving financing through venture capital, loan and guarantee funds;
provision of local infrastructure and services which contribute to facilitate establishment, development and expansion of new and existing business;
[F1education and training investments, including for vocational training;]
[F2investments in health and social infrastructure which contribute to regional and local development.]
2.Under this component, technical assistance may be granted for preliminary studies and technical support related to eligible activities, including those necessary for their implementation.
Technical assistance may also finance preparatory, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control activities and activities to reinforce the administrative capacity for implementing the assistance under the IPA Regulation provided through this component.
Textual Amendments
1.Expenditure under this component shall be eligible if it has actually been paid after the signature of the financing agreement following the adoption of the relevant programme. In the case of major projects as referred to in Article 157, expenditure shall not be eligible before the Commission Decision approving the major project has been adopted, as referred to in Article 157(3).
[F32. In addition to the rules set out in Article 34(3), depreciation costs for the infrastructures shall not be eligible.]
[F43. By way of derogation from Article 34(3), operating costs, including rental costs, exclusively related to the period of co-financing of the operation, may be eligible.]
Textual Amendments
1.For the purposes of this component, the eligible expenditure as referred to in Article 38(1) shall be based on the public expenditure.
[F32. The Community contribution shall not exceed the ceiling of 85 % of the eligible expenditure at the level of the priority axis.]
3.No operation shall benefit from a higher co-financing rate than the one relating to the priority axis concerned.
Textual Amendments
[F31. For the purposes of this component, a revenue-generating project means any operation proposed for pre-accession assistance involving an investment in infrastructure, the use of which is subject to charges borne directly by users and which generates revenues, or any operation involving the sale or rent of land or buildings or any other provision of services against payments.]
[F32. Eligible expenditure for revenue-generating projects, used for calculating the Community contribution in accordance with Article 149, shall not exceed the current value of the investment cost minus the current value of the net revenue from the investment over a specific reference period for (a) investments in infrastructure; or (b) other projects where it is possible to objectively estimate the revenues in advance.]
3.Where not all the investment cost is eligible for co-financing the net revenue shall be allocated pro rata to the eligible and non-eligible parts of the investment cost.
4.In the calculation, the operating structure shall take account of the reference period appropriate to the category of investment concerned, the category of project, the profitability normally expected of the category of investment concerned and of the application of the polluter-pays principle, and, if appropriate, of considerations of affordability, in particular in the environment sector.
[F45. The provisions of this Article do not apply to:
(a) operations co-financed under this component, the total cost of which is equal or less than EUR 1 million;
(b) revenues generated throughout the economic lifetime of the co-financed investments in the case of investments in firms;
(c) revenues generated within the framework of financing instruments which facilitate access to revolving financing through venture capital, loan and guarantee funds.]