Businesses in Dumfries and Galloway were given an assurance that current local support programmes funded by the European Union (EU) will continue until at least December 2018.
The Council have been in contact with the EU, Scottish Government and COSLA to seek clarification on the future of support programmes. At a recent meeting of the Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure (EEI) Committee, the Chair Councillor Colin Smyth made the following statement.
“It is now some weeks on from the EU referendum and its full implications are yet to unravel. However, I wanted to take this opportunity to reaffirm the Council Leaders statement to full Council on of 28 June that the economy of Dumfries and Galloway continues to be the top priority for this Council and in particular for this committee.
It will be a long time before the full impact of the result of the referendum is known and while it presents a risk to our economy I want to reassure local businesses that the services they currently receive are continuing; it is business as usual for the Council.
We have been seeking clarification from the EU, Scottish Government and COSLA and can confirm that the EU programmes that currently provide the financial backing to business services are committed until December 2018. As you will have seen from the national media it will take up to two years from the instigation of Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union before the UK will cease to be part of the EU. It is anticipated that the UK will not evoke this until a new Prime Minster is in place in the autumn. During the period of negotiation we remain a part of the EU and will play a full part in all EU business apart from the internal EU discussions on the UK’s withdrawal”.
Allocations from EU Structural Funds 2016-2020 (calendar years Jan – Dec)
Employability
European Social Fund (ESF) £6.98m
Business
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Business Growth Accelerator Programme £1.35m
LEADER
Main Programme £5.6m
European Maritime & Fisheries Fund £0.58m
Total Funding expected from 2016 – 2020 = £14.51m
Note: The figures for ESF & ERDF would be subject to a mid term review by end 2018 so could vary (up or down)
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