The county is to get European funding until 2013

EU officials say the county has spent the money wisely so far and it will now get an extra �17m to spend.

This makes Cornwall the best Objective One area in England. But critics of the scheme claim the difference it can make to the Cornish economy is limited.

An official announcement about the further funding is due on Wednesday.

Objective One has so far channelled nearly �200m from a �300m pot of European money into the county since 1999.

Some money has gone into traditional flagship construction projects such as the Tolvaddon Energy Park and the Combined Universities in Cornwall.

Other projects that have benefited include infrastructure projects improving links within the Cornish economy, such as the Act Now scheme to roll out broadband computer services.

The European Commission said in February that the county will get further development funding until 2013 because it is still relatively poor and the sums will be similar to the amount of Objective One money.