Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 laying down common provisions on a range of support funds

This Regulation lays down financial rules for:

• the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),
• the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+),
• the Cohesion Fund,
• the Just Transition Fund (JTF),
• the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF),
• the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF),
• the Internal Security Fund (ISF), and
• the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI).

The Regulation also establishes common provisions applicable to the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund, the JTF and the EMFAF.

The ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund and the EMFAF shall support the following policy objectives:

1. a more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity;
2. a greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility;
3. a more connected Europe by enhancing mobility;
4. a more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights;
5. a Europe closer to citizens by fostering the sustainable and integrated development of all types of territories and local initiatives.

The JTF shall support the specific objective of enabling regions and people to address the social, employment, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards the Union’s 2030 targets for energy and climate and a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050, based on the Paris Agreement.

Article 6 on climate targets and climate adjustment mechanism states that: 

1. Member States shall provide information on support for environment and climate objectives by using a methodology based on types of intervention for each of the Funds. That methodology shall consist of assigning a specific weighting to the support provided at a level which reflects the extent to which such support makes a contribution to environmental objectives and to climate objectives. In the case of the ERDF, the ESF+ and the Cohesion Fund, weightings shall be attached to dimensions and codes for the types of intervention established in Annex I. The ERDF and the Cohesion Fund shall contribute with 30 % and 37 % respectively of the Union contribution to expenditure supported for the achievement of the climate objectives set for the Union budget.
2. The climate contribution target for each Member State shall be established as a percentage of its total ERDF and Cohesion Fund allocation and included in programmes as a result of the types of intervention and the indicative financial breakdown pursuant to point (d)(viii) of Article 22(3). As provided for in Article 11(1), the preliminary climate contribution target shall be established in the Partnership Agreement.
3. The Member State and the Commission shall regularly monitor respect of the climate contribution targets, based on the total eligible expenditure declared by the beneficiaries to the managing authority as broken down by types of intervention in accordance with Article 42 and on data submitted by the Member State. Where the monitoring shows insufficient progress towards reaching the climate contribution target, the Member State and the Commission shall agree on remedial measures in the annual review meeting.
4. Where there is insufficient progress towards reaching the climate contribution target at national level by 31 December 2024, the Member State shall take this into account in its mid-term review in accordance with Article 18(1).

This Regulation was amended by Regulation (EU) 2023/955 which establishes the Social Climate Fund for the period from 2026 to 2032.

The Social Climate Fund shall provide financial support to Member States for the measures and investments included in their Social Climate Plans. Each Member State should submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan by 30 June 2025.

The measures and investments supported by the Social Climate Fund shall benefit households, micro-enterprises and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport within the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC (EU emissions trading scheme), in particular households in energy poverty or households in transport poverty.