Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis announced the European Commission’s approval of the Greek National Strategic Reference Framework (NRSF) programme on May 23, for the period 2014-2020.

The Greek NSRF is the third programme, after Denmark and Germany's, approved by the European Commission. This development, according to Hatzidakis, is the result of cooperation and deliberations with the 13 regions, the ministries and EU's agencies, which began a year and a half ago.

The €26 billion programme gives a "green light" for the kick-off of projects, within 2014, which will focus on: programs for the employment and training of young people, support for hard-hit social groups, combating poverty, support for the unemployed, new businesses, vouchers for enterprises that hire young unemployed people, employment for the jobless in community work projects, and energy upgrades for homes via the ministry’s program for that purpose.

The European Commission has adopted a Partnership Agreement with Greece, which lays down the strategy for the optimal use of European Structural and Investment Funds in the country's regions and cities for 2014-2020.

The agreement, reached on May 23, paves the way for the country’s return to recovery and growth.

It sets out €15.52 billion in total Cohesion Policy funding -in current prices- and €4.2 billion for rural development to be invested in the country’s real economy.

Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Laszlo Andor said: "I congratulate Greece for finalising its Partnership Agreement so quickly as a result of its intense collaboration with the Commission and I look forward to continuing this effort with other member states concerning their Operational Programmes. I am very pleased that Greece has decided to dedicate 31.13% of the Structural Funds resources under the growth and jobs objective -or nearly €4 billion- to the European Social Fund (ESF), in order to help move towards Greece's 2020 targets on increasing employment and reducing poverty..."