November has brought to structural funds beneficiaries more than 80 million euro, compared to 26 million in the previous month. The official data of the Authority for the Coordination of Structural Instruments (ACSI) shows that 31.4 million euro, that is one third of these funds, were directed to the Operational Program on Transport, which allowed an increase of the absorption rate from 0% to 2.4%. The reason why the program had not accounted for Transport funds was that the Management Authority was not accredited.

Until now, only 540.5 million euro have been absorbed, from the 5.6 billion euro allocated to Romania for the 2007-2009 period, that is less than 10% (precisely 9.58%).

The absorption rate of the European funds was increased by 1,24%, which represented one of the greatest growth during 2009. August was the only month with a bigger absorption degree. The 89 million euro, represented by structural funds, represented a growth of 1,58%.

A significant increase, except for the program on transport, which attracted 2.4% of the funds allocated for the period 2007-2009 (31 million euro), has been experienced by the program of economic competitiveness too. This program is destined to small and medium company. Although the absorption rate of this program was very low (almost 0%) on November, the 16.8% of the funds allocated in 2007-2009 keeps it on the first position.

The lowest rate was registered by the program on the technical support and on the administrative capacity development (0.11% in the first case and 1,25% for the second one). The target of the second program is related most of all to local and central authorities.

For a comparative analysis, it should be mentioned that Bulgaria has the highest rate of absorption into the technical support program, almost 50%. Bulgarian companies, instead, were not able to absorb not even 10% of funds allocated to the growth of economic competitiveness program, based on dates published by the Ministry of Finance in Sofia.

A recent decision of the European Council refers to the procedures simplification for accessing to European funds in some Member States, in order to hinder the difficulties that they encountered. The countries that in 2009 have experienced declines of GDP of more than 10%, or that has received financial support from the EU should receive advance payments - 4% of the ESF and 2% of FC. According with this decision, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia should receive 775 million euro.