(20 December 2016) – For the first time, the Commission issued a progress report covering the five Funds. It shows a sharp acceleration in investments over the last months, with an implementation expected to reach cruising speed in 2017.
By the end of 2015, 274 000 businesses had already received support under the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds; 2.7 million people already had benefitted from assistance in finding a job or developing skills; and one million EU-funded projects were selected, for a total value of almost €60 billion.
This figure has doubled over nine months, and by the autumn of 2016, almost €130 billion – 20% of the total ESI Funds envelope – had been invested in small businesses, research, broadband, energy efficiency and thousands of other projects focusing on the priorities of the EU’s growth and jobs strategy.
In line with the objectives of the Investment Plan, the aim of doubling the use of financial instruments in ESI Funds investments was almost reached at the end of 2015.