Interreg Europe helps regional and local governments across Europe to develop and deliver better policy. By creating an environment and opportunities for sharing solutions, we aim to ensure that government investment, innovation and implementation efforts all lead to integrated and sustainable impact for people and place.
We know that better performance leads to better results. By building on its forerunner, INTERREG IVC (2007-2013), Interreg Europe aims to get maximum return from the EUR 359 million financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for 2014-2020. This time round, it’s still about doing good, but doing it better!
Solutions exist that can help our regions become the best that they can be. Today, the EU’s emphasis is very much on paving the way for regions to realise their full potential – by helping them to capitalise on their innate strengths while tapping into opportunities that offer possibilities for economic, social and environmental progress.
To achieve this goal, Interreg Europe offers opportunities for regional and local public authorities across Europe to share ideas and experience on public policy in practice, therefore improving strategies for their citizens and communities.
Who do we help?
Interreg Europe exists to assist three types of beneficiaries:
- Public authorities – local, regional and national
- Managing authorities/intermediate bodies - in charge of the Investment for Growth and Jobs programmes or European Territorial Cooperation
- Agencies, research institutes, thematic and non-profit organisations – although not our main target group, these types of organisations can also work with Interreg Europe by first engaging with their local policymakers in order to identify options for collaboration with Interreg Europe
Organisations that work with Interreg Europe must also be based in one the 28 EU Member States, Switzerland or Norway.
What do we support?
Any actions developed with financial support from Interreg Europe must fall into one of the following four categories:
- Research and innovation
- SME competitiveness
- Low-carbon economy
- Environment and resource efficiency
As there is pressure these days to ‘do more with less’, we’ve taken a streamlined approach this time round to create actions which are much more focused and therefore offer greater chance for success.
How can Interreg Europe help you?
Cooperation, collaboration and community engagement are at the heart of Interreg Europe. These ‘3 C’s’ are incorporated into our two main support services with the aim to aid understanding and critical thinking by creating space for new ideas, different perspectives and collective learning.
1. Interregional Cooperation Projects
Interreg Europe will co-finance up to 85% of project activities that you carry out in partnership with other policy organisations based in different countries in Europe.
Through interregional cooperation projects, you and your partners must identify a common interest and then work together for 3-5 years.
Initially, partners will share experience, ideas and know-how about how best to deal with the issue at hand. Each partner region must:
- Produce an action plan
- Set up a stakeholder group
- Participate in the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platforms
After this stage, each partner must monitor progress of the implementation of their action plan and report to the lead partner. Pilot actions may be supported during this period.
Depending on the number of partners involved, duration of interregional learning etc., the average total ERDF budget of a project is expected to be EUR 1-2 million. Interreg Europe will launch calls for proposals throughout the programming period so keep an eye out for the next call!
2. Policy Learning Platforms
Our four Policy Learning Platforms are a new feature to Interreg Europe to open up the programme’s knowledge for the benefit of all the project partners and the whole community of regional policy stakeholders. They aim to facilitate continuous learning among organisations dealing with regional development policies in Europe in order to improve the way they design and implement their public policies in the areas we support – 1) research and innovation, 2) SME competitiveness, 3) low-carbon economy, 4) the environment and resource efficiency.
Expert services, such as peer reviews, benchmarking exercises, thematic workshops, capacity building events, learning activities will be available in 2016.
In the meanwhile, join the Interreg Europe online community and tell us which theme you’re interested in!
Many regions are reviewing their European activity in the context of budget pressures. Interreg Europe can help your city and/or region in the following ways:
