European Regional Development Fund

Britain was going to be a large contributor to the CAP and the EEC budget, and sought to offset this deficit by having the ERDF established.

The ERDF was set to be running by 1973, but the 1973 oil crisis delayed it, and it was only established in 1975 under considerable British and Italian pressure.

As part of its task to promote regional development, the ERDF contributes towards financing the following measures: All awards of ERDF must comply with European Union competition law (including State Aid Law[2] and Government procurement in the European Union).

Failure to comply with these legal requirements may result in irregularity rulings[3] which carry financial implications.

One project supported by the Fund is the Golf Club Campo de Golf in the African Spanish exclave Melilla, located right next to the border with Morocco where African migrants regularly attempt to enter the territory of the EU by climbing a triple fence with razor wire.