Regional Programme of Innovative Actions for Wales

I am pleased to announce that the Welsh bid for funding under the ERDF Regional Programme of Innovation Actions was approved for co-financing by the European Commission at the end of December.

This four million euro programme - which will be launched later this month - will create a regional laboratory that can test and demonstrate the way towards a sustainable knowledge based economy in Wales. Approval of this programme by the Commission reflects the Welsh position of being in the vanguard of regions effectively driving the sustainable development agenda forward.

This two-year programme comprises four projects that will encourage economic development based on knowledge and technological innovation, exploitation of the information society serving regional development, and promotion of sustainable development and regional identity. These innovative actions will help achieve the vision of a sustainable Wales described in our sustainable development strategy and in the national economic development strategy, A Winning Wales. They build extensively on experience and partnerships already established under the Wales Regional Technology Plan and Information Society programmes, and the Countryside Council for Wales’ award-winning LANDMAP geographical information system.

Members may recall that the decision to submit this bid for funding was made at plenary in November 2000, using the National Assembly for Wales’ sustainable development scheme as the basis for application, and a wide-ranging consultation exercise was undertaken prior to submitting the bid to the Commission.

The First Minister will give further details of the projects being funded under this programme at a formal launch later this month.