Since the introduction of Regional Law LR no. 55/1999, Regione Veneto has helped fund 642 development cooperation projects across the world for the improvement of social and health conditions, development of farming, promotion of the condition of women and children, education, professional training and improvement of services and infrastructure. Regione Veneto is also involved in protecting its identity and culture abroad as it has set up a network between communities of Veneto migrants who have settled in other countries. In particular, it has promoted networks among people of Veneto origin who live abroad through the cultural initiatives of its associations, known as Circoli veneti; there were 434 of these Circoli veneti in 2009.
The current policy of the European Union involves using territorial cohesion to correct the main disparities within its borders and to bridge the economic and social development divide between Europe's regions. A brief glance at the performance of Veneto shows that it has been involved in 285 financed projects within the various Interregional programmes. The current programming period, which will end in 2013, sees this trend continue, although figures are not yet available for all of the 77 programmes.
The determination to build institutional networks led last March to the establishment of
Euroregione senza confini, the borderless Euroregion; this project involves a range of fields that are governed by a shared framework within which projects can be launched by using EU funds. Veneto plays a major role in this project, also because the population of Veneto accounts for 53% of the Euroregion.
(Chapter 18 in figures)