The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) operates as part of the Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion Policy. It aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions. In France, the ERDF allocation is of 9.5 billion euros for the 2014-2020 programming period.

• 8.4 million euros are dedicated to the “investment for growth and employment” objective, seeking to strengthen the job market and regional economies,
• 1.1 billion euros are dedicated to the « European territorial cooperation objective », which aims to support cohesion in the European Union through cross-border, transnational and inter-regional cooperation.

In France, the ERDF is mainly involved with the following issues:

• Investing in research, technological development, and innovation,
• Improving the competitiveness of small and medium size businesses,
• Encouraging the development of information and communication technologies,
• Supporting the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

The ERDF also finances activities that support adaptation to climate change, risk prevention, transport, training, employment or social inclusion. Finally, in order to best address specific urban issues, part of the ERDF budget is used for the priority neighbourhoods of the urban policy.

In the national context of decentralisation, local councils are entrusted with managing ERDF.