A total of 1.35 bln euros have been earmarked for Cyprus from EU funds for the 2014-2020 period, Head of the EU Representation in Cyprus, Georgios Markopouliotis told a seminar on the EU competitive “Creative Europe” programme.
The evnt, held at the EU House in Nicosia, aimed to inform citizens and organisations to effectively use funds available by the EU competitive programmes for the period 2014-2020.
Markopouliotis noted that out of the 1.35 bln, approximately 950 mln will be allocated to the real economy.
“This money will be given in the form of subsidies, and not loans, and will finance actions aiming to boost growth and employment,” he explained.
Referring to the Investment Plan for Europe, aiming to the allocation of more than 300 bln euros, from public and private funds, during the next years, for investments in the EU, Markopouliotis said that during its first year of operation, the Plan allocated approximately 100 bln euros for investments.
Furthermore, he said that it is encouraging that Cyprus recorded significant fund absorption from the competitive programmes. He said that as Finance Minister Haris Georgiades has noted, during the period 2007-2013 it is estimated that Cypriot organisations and institutions, both from the private and the public sector, absorbed approximately 200 mln euros from the competitive programmes.
Furthermore, he said that the Minister has stressed that for the period 2014-2020 the government aims at a significant increase of this amount, to over 300 mln euros.
Referring to the “Creative Europe” programme, Markopouliotis said that its budget for the next seven years amounts to 1.46 bln euro and will promote the fields of culture, media and creation, which are important for employment and growth.
Creative Europe is the European Commission framework programme to support culture and audiovisual sectors. It is divided into two sub-programmes, Culture and MEDIA, and is supported by a cross-sectoral strand.
Participants to the seminar heard presentations by Georgia Christofidou, European Programmes Director at the Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development, the Head of Creative Europe Desk Cyprus and Executive Director of Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation Nenad Bogdanovic, and Georgios Logothetis of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.
