NUTS - Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics

The NUTS classification (Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics) is a hierarchical system for dividing up the economic territory of the EU for the purpose of :

• The collection, development and harmonisation of EU regional statistics.
• Socio-economic analyses of the regions.
  
  
  • NUTS 1: major socio-economic regions
  • NUTS 2: basic regions for the application of regional policies
  • NUTS 3: small regions for specific diagnoses
• Framing of EU regional policies.
  
  
  • Regions eligible for aid from the Structural Funds (Objective 1) have been classified at NUTS 2 level.
  • Areas eligible under the other priority objectives have mainly been classified at NUTS 3 level.
  • The Cohesion report has so far mainly been prepared at NUTS 2 level.

The current NUTS classification valid from 1 January 2008 until 31 December 2011 lists 97 regions at NUTS 1, 271 regions at NUTS 2 and 1303 regions at NUTS 3 level.