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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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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