Devon (including Plymouth and Torbay) receives around £20m a year in EU grant funding for a wide range of social and economic projects.  On top of this, agricultural payments to farmers contribute approximately £65m a year.  

Over the years, EU funding has helped to develop a number of high-profile initiatives across Devon, and is currently supporting projects as diverse as EROCIPS (co-ordinating responses to marine pollution incidents), RE4D (Renewable Energy 4 Devon), and Devon Artsculture (support for the arts and crafts sector).

A new package of European funds is currently being put together for the period 2007-2013 and this will mean changes to how much money is available, which areas can benefit and the types of projects which can be funded.

Although everything is changing, there are still some EU funding available locally through the following schemes:

• Devon Step Up Fund (63KB - pdf help) - for projects which help people improve their skills and get on the road to work
• Exeter Positive Steps Fund - for projects which help people in Exeter to develop their skills
• Leader+ - for community development projects in specific rural areas.  In Devon, these are:
  Blackdown Hills
  North West Devon
  Teignbridge

In addition to these, some of the new funds for 2007-2013 have been launched and information is available from the European Commission on programmes which support international partnership work.

Future of European Funding

The main funds which support work at local and regional level are the European Structural Funds. On 29th May 2008 the Economy team held a workshop to let people in DCC and partner organisations know about how these funds will be administered over the next seven-year phase. Find out more