Partnership Agreement - STRAT.AT 2020 (Europe 2020 Strategy)

In association with the "Europe 2020 Strategy", the Partnership Agreement is committed to intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth and was adopted by the European Council in June 2010. In the "Europe 2020 Strategy", the Commission proposes 5 measurable EU-level objectives, which are to be achieved and transposed into national objectives by 2020. The objectives relate to employment, research, innovation, climate protection and energy as well as education and the fight against poverty.

In adopting the (common)  Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 (Annex I), a "Common Strategic Framework" was established along with mechanisms that ensure the contribution to the "Europe 2020 Strategy". For this purpose, common provisions for the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund as well as the European Regional Development Fund (ELER) were laid down in a common Regulation with a view to improving coordination between the Funds and thus increasing their efficiency.

At the level of each Member State, Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 mandates the conclusion of a Partnership Agreement to represent the link between the EU framework and the individual national or, as the case may be, regional programmes (also for The Austrian Rural Development Programme 2014 to 2020). The Partnership Agreement defines the national contributions that need to be made to achieve the EU objectives through specific measures. The purpose of the Partnership Agreement is to ensure a high degree of complementarity and consistency between the various programmes. The Partnership Agreement was drawn up by ÖROK in collaboration with the Federal Government, Federal Provinces, the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns as well as the economic and social partners.