SOSEP has been designated as a Global Grants Body, entrusted by the Scottish Government to manage and implement a ring fenced portion of European Regional Development Fund resources for the South of Scotland from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2011.

For background information on Structural Funds: In a European Context, see:

http://europa.eu/index_en.htm

In a Scottish context, see: Scottish Government Structural Funds

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/support/17404

In the context of Lowlands and Uplands Scotland, see: ESEP Ltd

http://www.esep.co.uk/

In October 2007, following an extensive period of consultation, the European Commission approved two sets of operational programmes for Scotland, each set comprising a programme for European Regional Development Finance and one for European Social Fund, for the period 2007 – 2013. One set covers the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, with the other for all the rest of Scotland and describing its geography as the Lowlands and Uplands.

Contractual arrangements were put in place for the delivery of the main services of programme delivery. The Scottish Government’s contractor for the Lowlands and Uplands programmes is ESEP. The ERDF programme for Lowlands and Uplands Scotland has four priorities:

• Research and Innovation;
• Enterprise Growth;
• Urban Regeneration; and
• Rural Development

The agreed operational programme stipulated that, within the rural development priority, there would be a ring fenced allocation for the South of Scotland which would be managed by a Global Grants Body.

As from the 1 January 2009, an operationally independent unit of Dumfries and Galloway Council has had responsibility for managing and implementing the Global Grant in terms of Articles 42 and 43 of Commission Regulation 1083/2006.