ERDF

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) serves as the European Union's financial leverage for its cohesion and regional development policy. The ERDF's goal is to correct the economic, social and territorial imbalances between the European Union's 27 member states by co-financing projects that are aimed towards intelligent, sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The financial framework defines programming periods of seven years in order to accomplish the projects in the various European regions, with an extra two to three years to complete the projects if necessary. In the Brussels-Capital Region, the government has decided to set up a Directorate in the Brussels Regional Public Service that specifically focuses on the ERDF management and coordination. Within the General Department Brussels International, the ERDF Directorate prepares the programmes, carries them out and takes care of their follow-up. At the start of the programming period, the calls for projects are drawn up and issued, after which the projects are selected. During the carrying out of the programme and the projects, the ERDF Directorate accompanies the various project leaders, ensures the proper conduct of the programme and it also performs a first control of the expenditures. The ERDF department constitutes a multidisciplinary team. The Directorate also serves as the contact point for the European institutions and regional and local actors, as well as for the beneficiaries of the European funding and the corresponding departments of the two other Belgian regions and the European regions.