A budget of around one third of the EU budget (approx. 346 billion euros) is available for this central policy area in the period 2007 to 2013. The main objectives are more growth and more jobs for all regions and cities in the EU.

The most important instruments of structural policy are the European Structural Funds - the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF).

In the current funding period (2007-2013), the Free State of Thuringia has access to around 1,447 million euros from the ERDF and around 629 million euros from the ESF.

In addition, you can find out more about the European Regional Development Fund at www.efre-thueringen.de and the European Social Fund at www.esf-thueringen.de.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is the EU's central funding instrument for the development of rural regions. In Thuringia, the EAFRD operates in the form of a corresponding program. This development program is the basis for the further development of the Rural Development in Thuringia (FILET ) funding initiative for the period 2014-2020 and offers a wide range of funding measures that can be used to improve the competitiveness of agriculture , forestry and food, the balanced spatial development of the rural economy and rural communities, the sustainable management of natural resources and climate protection.

For the FILET 2014-2020, a total of about 679.7 million euros is available from the EAFRD.

In addition, the Enterprise Europe Network Thuringia provides information, advice and support on issues relating to the EU internal market, European research funding and cross-border technology transfer. Worldwide, around 400 institutions from more than 40 countries work together in this network with the aim of initiating and supporting transnational collaborations.