From 1 January 2007, a new programming round for the Structural Funds will begin for 27 Member States (including Romania and Bulgaria).

In preparation, a completely new set of regulations governing the operation of the Structural Funds is currently being debated. These new regulations introduce some of the biggest changes in the operation of the Structural Funds for more than a decade.

The current period of Structural Funds programmes and instruments will come to its end in December 2006 and the Commission, the Member States and the regions prepare for the new programming period between 2007 and 2013.