Integrated low-carbon strategies
Read this policy brief to discover what role do public authorities across Europe play in the development of a sustainable and low-carbon economy, and what transformations are needed in every sector and area of public life.

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Clusters: Driving the green and digital twin transitions
This policy brief explores the importance of clusters for research and innovation. Clusters play an important role in industrial transformations and can support SMEs in their green and digital transformations through cross-border initiatives. Discover 6 r

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Regional branding
This policy brief focuses on regional branding, and covers topics such as regional identity, product quality labels, cooperation between SMEs in a rural area, agritourism, and co-creation for promoting cultural heritage.

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Cultural Heritage in Mountain Regions
Read this policy brief and get an overview on EU initiatives that local and regional authorities should refer to for boosting sustainable development in mountain areas through the valorisation of the cultural heritage.

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Halting ocean plastics pollution
Read this policy brief to learn about suitable solutions for addressing the challenges of ocean plastics pollution, and to discover how communities are engaging the civil society to tackle the massive issue of littering.

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Internationalisation of SMEs
This policy brief focuses on the internationalisation of SMEs activities as a factor of competitiveness for businesses and an engine for growth and welfare for the economy and the territories.

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Championing sustainable energy in SMEs
This policy brief outlines how SMEs can overcome barriers to invest in energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

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Rivers and wetlands: drivers of sustainable regional development
Read this policy brief and get an overview of how the current EU policy framework may guide and support local and regional authorities in the implementation of river and wetland restoration measures.

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Innovation in less-developed regions
Explore the importance of research and innovation in less-developed European regions to promote regional convergence within the European Union.

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Vouchers for the competitiveness of SMEs
This policy brief focuses on the use of vouchers to foster SME competitiveness and aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the good practices and the policy improvements basing on voucher schemes in those projects.

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Sustainable water management in the circular economy
In order to make Europe more sustainable and to become a pillar in the shift towards a circular economy, water management needs to improve significantly. Get inspired by policy solutions in this policy brief.

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Skills for the energy transition
We need to foster skills for the energy transition at local and regional levels to encourage clean technologies and energy-efficient applications to reach the European Union's climate targets.

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Skills for innovation
Discover five policy recommendations using the experience of Interreg Europe projects dealing with the development of skills for innovation to offer regions a path towards better regional innovation.

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The social economy and support to social enterprises
The social economy is a crucial part of the EU socioeconomic landscape. To foster the growth of the EU social economy, policy action is needed. This policy brief aims to spotlight Interreg Europe projects that work to improve their local social economy.

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Sustainable urban logistics
Urban logistics is responsible for significant carbon emissions, air pollutants and urban noise. Authorities realise that clean urban logistics need to become mainstream to support continued sustainable economic growth.

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Sustainable tourism: strategies to counteract overtourism
Overtourism has a devastating impact on natural and cultural heritage of many popular holiday spots around the world. This policy brief presents solutions to the current challenges of the tourism sector.

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Facilitating business transfers for sustaining jobs and economic activity
In order to achieve more successful business transfers, the complexities of the process should be taken into account. In this policy brief you'll discover business transfer challenges and good practices from Interreg Europe partner regions as potential so

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Energy self-consumption
Self-consumption of renewable energy can provide financial, environmental and security benefits for households, businesses, grid operators and society at large.

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Innovation networks
Innovation networks are central to the innovation process as they facilitate mutual learning and knowledge transfer. Explore the role of innovation networks within regional innovation ecosystems.

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Separate waste collection
The European Union (EU) is aiming to reduce the environmental impact of waste and its dependency on raw material imports and thus fosters the transition towards more sustainable materials management and a circular economy.

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Efficient business support ecosystems
This policy brief explores various models for implementing and managing multiple-stakeholder collaborative practices for better business support delivery.

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Good governance for biodiversity
The economic development in Europe in the past century put an enormous burden on biodiversity. Biodiversity is vital for human health and is important for economic factors with over half of global GDP depending on ecosystem services.

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Built Cultural Heritage
Explore successful approaches and solutions in protecting, conserving and valorising of heritage buildings of cultural and historical value.

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Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3)
Learn from practices implemented in different regional institutional contexts such as concrete and transformative policy changes on regional policy challenges ranging from the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) to S3 Monitoring.

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Cycling cities
Cycling has many socio-economic, health and environmental benefits that its promotion should be a logical policy choice. This policy brief helps turn these dreams into reality with good practices, guidance and recommendations backed by real-life examples.

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Boosting entrepreneurship in rural areas
Boosting entrepreneurship in rural areas opens new opportunities and markets. Rural SMEs show great potential as a source of economic growth and innovation.

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Sustainable waste management in a circular economy
The shift from a linear to a circular economy is a major challenge that requires sustainable management of waste and resources.

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Supporting local bioenergy development
Bioenergy is one of the most flexible renewables that does not release new carbon into the atmosphere. Discover European Frameworks, funding schemes and Good Practices in this Policy Brief.

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Improving the convenience of public transport
The shift to a low-carbon economy will rely heavily on the use of zero-emission vehicles and increased use of public transport. Take a look at how you can improve its convenience in your region.

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University-Industry collaboration
University-industry collaboration is a key component of the regional innovation policy-mix as the successful exploitation of R&D results is fundamental for regional competitiveness.

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Urban ecosystems
Discover the importance of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions for the development of sustainable cities

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One-Stop-Shops
One-Stop-Shops (OSS) bring together the full gamut of policy interventions, working with stakeholders to provide skills and knowledge for home renovation.

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Industry 4.0
This policy brief features six policy recommendations to support the development of industry 4.0

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Demand Responsive Transport
Demand-responsive transport (DRT) is a flexible mode of transportation that adapts to the demands of its user groups. DRT can also have significant environmental benefits through reducing the number of private vehicles on the road, and by supporting multi

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Circular Economy Business Models in the EU
Discover the challenges and solutions that policymakers face in implementing circular economy business models. This policy brief includes recommendations on how to speed up the development of these models.

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Policy challenges in exploiting research and innovation infrastructure
The European research and innovation infrastructure ecosystem is diverse in scale and scope. In the Interreg Europe community there are a number of projects tackling research and innovation infrastructure from different perspectives and their experience c

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Cultural Routes in Europe
Discover the transnational routes that help tourists discover how Europeans have lived since ancient times. This policy brief presents the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes Programme, the EU’s policies on Cultural Routes, as well as lessons from interre

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Funding Energy Efficiency through Financial Instruments
Europe faces a major challenge to renovate its building stock and achieve its carbon emission targets. Doing so will be achieved through both public funds and investment from private funds. Read more about how public authorities can help to leverage priva

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Use of technologies for better protection and management of nature and biodiversity
Explore the link between technology use and the protection of natural heritage. Several good practices demonstrate inspiring examples on how emphasising the benefits of technologies and stimulating their uptake leads to great benefits.

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Promoting Active Modes of Transport
Regional authorities prioritise the encouragement of active transport thanks to its health and other benefits such as reduction of car use, congestion and air and noise pollution.

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Eco-innovation
Production-consumption trends are putting excessive and unsustainable strain on the environment. Resource input costs are becoming volatile. Read in this policy brief why eco-innovation is a potential solution.

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Renewable Energy Communities
At its most basic, renewable energy communities involve generation of energy from renewable resources and technologies, which are partly or wholly owned by local communities.

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Digital solutions in the field of cultural heritage
This policy brief provides information on digital solutions in the field of cultural heritage

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The challenges and necessity of rural innovation
Rural regions make up roughly half of the territory of the EU-28. By building innovation capacity and implementing innovative solutions, rural and sparsely populated areas can overcome

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E-mobility
Electric mobility (e-mobility) has emerged as one of the most promising technological solutions to replace fossil fuels, and has the potential to power most forms of personal and public transport. Local and regional authorities have a vital role to play i

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Public-private startup accelerators in regional business support ecosystems
This policy brief discusses public-private partnership based accelerator models being set up as a response to the challenge of identifying and supporting innovative startups.

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Behaviour Change for Energy Efficiency
As buildings account for 40% of energy consumption in the EU and more than 35% of CO2 emissions, improving their energy performance has become a key policy aim in order to meet long-term climate and emissions targets.

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The role of staff exchange and mobility schemes in accelerating innovation policy transfer and uptake of good practices
The objective of this policy brief is to present some of the examples of mobility/staff exchange schemes that have deployed within Interreg Europe projects, notably to support innovation and cluster programme development.

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Food Waste
This policy brief highlights policies and approaches which have been taken to prevent and reduce food waste, with focus on EU waste policy developments and regional actions.

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Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) are planning instruments for cities that encourage joined-up decision-making across sectors and between stakeholders, for providing high- quality, sustainable mobility. The SUMP concept is elaborated by the Europea

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Protection and sustainable management of heritage in coastal and fluvial regions
The policy brief presents the main challenges that coastal and fluvial regions are facing with regards to protection and sustainable management of cultural and natural heritage assets. It demonstrates that cultural and natural heritage is a significant as

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Renewable Energy Communities
At its most basic, renewable energy communities involve generation of energy from renewable resources and technologies, which are partly or wholly owned by local communities.

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Digital solutions in the field of cultural heritage
The document provides a brief overview of the EU policy documents addressing digitisation of cultural heritage and presents inspiring good practices stemming from the Interreg Europe projects.

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Towards synergies between S3P-Industry and Interreg Europe projects
This policy brief identifies potential complementarities and synergies between partnerships of the Smart Specialisation Thematic Platform for Industrial Modernisation (S3P-Industry) and Interreg Europe projects.

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Demand-responsive transport
The aim of this policy brief is to highlight the benefits of DRT for European regions, outline some of the barriers to its uptake, and show how European support can help to overcome them.

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Role of Green Public Procurement in improving resource efficiency
Public procurements representing approximately 19% of EU GDP. By using procurement as a tool strategic policy goals can be reached. This policy brief addresses the EU policies, approaches and good practices aimed at promoting green public procurement.

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Governance Change for Energy Efficiency in Buildings
This paper presents the work done in Interreg Europe projects, looking at how governance and behavioural change can support the transition to low carbon energy. It will present good practices which are readily transferable, and make recommendations for re

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Sustainable tourism
The policy brief demonstrates that cultural and natural heritage is a significant asset for local communities and sustainable tourism development.

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The ins and outs of the Vanguard Initiative
The Vanguard Initiative seeks to support interregional cooperation notably through industrial clusters and innovation ecosystems creating new competitive advantages for Europe, member states and regions.

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Digital transformation and SMEs: what regions can do
This policy brief is an introduction to the policy field of digitalisation and digital transformation.

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Improving energy efficiency in buildings
This policy brief analyses Interreg Europe projects dealing with this issue and gives a clear overview on how to tackle the widespread problem.

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Smart grids: flexibility from new sources needed to make renewable power work
This policy brief looks into why there is an increasing demand for flexibility in the electricity grid, how this flexibility can be provided, what the main challenges are, and how Interreg Europe projects are dealing with flexibility in the electricity gr

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Access to finance for innovative SMEs
Past and ongoing European projects have tried and tested solutions in this field and serve as valuable insight for practitioners eager to support innovative SMEs and start-ups.

PDF (567.78KB)

Financing energy efficiency: models and lessons
Experts from the Policy Learning Platform show which financial instruments can be used to improve energy efficiency.

PDF (429.09KB)

The role of regions in the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe
This policy brief introduces the possibilities that regions have to support the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe.

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Sustainable management of bio-waste: Regional cooperation for improved bio-waste management
This policy brief highlights the approaches which have been taken to improve management of bio-waste. The focus is put on European Union waste policy developments and regional actions encouraging more sustainable management of bio-waste.

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Industrial symbiosis
This policy brief provides information on how industrial symbiosis is supported by EU policy framework and on the potential actions regions and cities can take to support the establishment of sustainable industrial networks that are based on exchanges of

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The SME policy of the European Union
This Policy Brief introduces some initiatives and policies forming the SME policy of the European Union, the European Small Business Act considered as the overarching policy.

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Engagement of private investments to bring research and deveopment results to the market
This policy brief focuses on the desire to to bring research and development results to the market. Emphasis is put on "off-the-shelf" financial instruments and the co-investment model.

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Protection of biodiversity and natural heritage: Exchange of experience and policy learning for greener Europe
The policy brief highlights the need to improve the relevant policies and to provide multi-stakeholder solutions for protection and sustainable use of the natural capital. Emphasis is put on the exchange of experience and policy learning for greener Europ

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The role of cities and regions in promoting resource efficiency across the EU
This policy brief highlights the need to use resources in a sustainable way and presents key policy developments in this direction. Emphasis is put on policy actions of cities and regions aiming to improve resource efficiency.

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The role of Clusters in supporting the Smart Specialisation Thematic Platforms: Focus on Industrial Modernisation
This policy brief seeks to shed some light on the emerging synergies on policies supporting smart specialisation policy implementation and cluster policy development, both key factors in driving regional innovation and growth, notably for SMEs. It also re

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Enabling synergies through coordination between H2020 and ESIF
Creating synergies between Horizon 2020 and Structural Funds is a current challenge for European Managing Authorities. This policy brief sums up the tools and approaches supporting such synergies.

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Protection and sustainable management of cultural heritage: The role of regional cooperation in preserving cultural heritage
This Policy Brief highlights the value of cultural heritage, and considers how regional actors can meet the challenges, and ensure sustainable management of these assets.

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The triple helix challenge: Bridging the gap between science and policymaking
A policy brief on EU-financed instruments that can be used to bridge the gap between the academia and the policymakers.

PDF (268.22KB)

Cultural heritage in urban areas: Sustaining heritage in cities and towns
This policy brief highlights the approaches aimed at securing the sustainable management of cultural heritage in urban areas.

PDF (319.52KB)

Ecosystem services: Interregional cooperation for sustaining the European natural capital
Policy brief on EU policies, approaches and good practices as concerns protection and restoration of ecosystem services.

PDF (697.01KB)

Citizen engagement in the protection of cultural heritage
This policy brief considers the mechanisms that can be used to foster the participation of citizens in cultural heritage projects and the value which this can bring.

PDF (1.69MB)

Promoting the low carbon economy in the EU: planning for sustainable urban mobility
A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) as a modern planning concept to promote low carbon urban mobility.

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Promoting the Low Carbon Economy in the EU: EU Policies and the Role of Cities and Regions
Cities and regions will be an integral player in reducing emissions, achieving the Paris objectives and securing green growth, energy security and competitiveness. This policy brief presents a general overview of EU policies supporting the efforts of citi

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Role of regional networks and clusters as an instrument for internationalisation of SMEs
The brief gives insight on European initiatives that leverage the internationalisation efforts as well as Interreg Europe projects that (1) address the role of regional networks and clusters as instruments able to foster the internationalisation of SMEs a

PDF (80.23KB)

Business acceleration schemes for start-ups, focus on internationalisation
How accelerators can contribute to increase internationalisation of start-ups.

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The potential of cross sectoral value chain innovation
This policy brief explores the concept of cross-border and cross-sectoral value chain innovation and highlights the potential benefits in the context of regional smart specialisation strategies and innovation policies.

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The regional ecosystem scoreboard methodology: a tool to help analyse regional development framework conditions
RES is a statistical tool, designed primarily for policy-makers responsible for regional, industrial, innovation and cluster policies and to help them identify the bottlenecks of the wider regional eco-system that could be targeted through specific polici

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Cooperation, complementarities and alignment of different funding sources for a more efficient use of resources
This policy brief highlights the possibilities for improving of policy measures presented in the Common Provision Regulations (CPR 1303/2013), and in particular its Article 70 (Art 70), which allows investments outside the programme area. The brief also d

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Leaflet on the Interreg Alpine Space project PEACE_Alps
Leaflet on the Interreg Alpine Space Project PEACE_Alps on pooling energy action plans and enhancing their implementation in the Alps

PDF (2.13MB)

RETRACE project leaflet
A leaflet of project RETRACE

PDF (1.80MB)

RaiSE presentation brochure
RaiSE presentation brochure

PDF (2.98MB)

SWARE project infograph
Visual material presenting the SWARE project

PDF (624.05KB)

Policy brief on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans
A policy brief highlighting SUMP as a modern planning concept to promote low carbon urban mobility. 

PDF (92.18KB)

Policy brief on low-carbon economy
This policy prief highlights policy developments in the EU in the field of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable mobility.

PDF (89.37KB)

SPEED UP project basics
A scroll through the SPEED UP project basics

PDF (366.64KB)

SPEED UP project leaflet
A leaflet of project SPEED UP

PDF (581.02KB)

iEER project leaflet
A leaflet of project iEER

PDF (400.35KB)

Policy brief on the role of regions in the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe
A policy brief on the Small Business Act for Europe.

PDF (233.58KB)

InnoBridge project leaflet
A leaflet of project InnoBridge

PDF (449.97KB)

CLUSTERS3 project brochure
A brochure of project CLUSTERS3

PDF (348.80KB)

NICHE project leaflet
Leaflet of NICE project

PDF (910.98KB)

Clusters support smart specialisation thematic platforms
A policy brief highlighting the growing synergies between policies supporting smart specialisation policy implementation and cluster policy development. 

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