7 New Countries Join Interreg Europe: Don’t Miss the Third Open Call for Projects
Exciting developments are happening in the world of European cooperation and funding. The Interreg Europe programme, a key initiative co-funded by the European Union to promote cross-border collaboration and reduce disparities in the levels of development, growth and quality of life in and across Europe’s regions has recently welcomed seven new countries into its network. This expansion brings fresh opportunities for partnerships and projects aimed at fostering sustainable development across Europe.
Welcoming Seven New Countries
The Interreg Europe programme has opened its doors to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine. These significant additions enhance the programme’s reach and diversity to create a more comprehensive and inclusive regional cooperation.
To celebrate this expansion, Interreg Europe hosted an online welcoming event on 21 February 2024. This event provided an overview of the programme’s opportunities and guided participants from the new member countries on how to engage effectively.
You can watch the webinar here:
What is Interreg Europe?
Interreg Europe is an interregional cooperation programme co-funded by the European Union. The European Union strives to reduce disparities in development, growth, and quality of life across Europe’s regions. Interreg Europe contributes to this objective and operates from 2021 to 2027. The programme supports local, regional, and national governments across Europe in developing and delivering better policies.
With a budget of €394 million, Interreg Europe creates an environment and opportunities for sharing solutions to regional development issues. The programme supports the exchange of good practices and policy learning among European regions in 36 countries, including the EU-27, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
Interreg Europe focuses on six thematic areas, each aimed at addressing critical aspects of regional development:
Thematic Areas and Objectives
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Smarter Europe
- Enhancing research and innovation capacities
- Promoting digitalisation
- Boosting SME competitiveness
- Supporting smart specialisation strategies (S3), industry, and entrepreneurship
- Improving digital connectivity
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Greener Europe
- Increasing energy efficiency
- Expanding renewable energy use
- Developing smart energy systems
- Addressing climate change
- Efficient water management
- Promoting circular economy practices
- Protecting nature and biodiversity
- Advancing zero-carbon urban mobility
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More Connected Europe
- Supporting sustainable Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T)
- Encouraging sustainable mobility solutions
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More Social Europe
- Enhancing education systems
- Fostering social inclusion
- Integrating third-country nationals
- Improving healthcare
- Promoting culture and sustainable tourism
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Europe Closer to Citizens
- Facilitating integrated urban development
- Supporting integrated non-urban development
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Better Regional Governance
- Strengthening policy governance
For a detailed understanding of the programme's priorities and the project application process, you can refer to the programme reference manual. This manual provides comprehensive guidance on how to apply and implement projects successfully.
Apply to the Third Interreg Europe Open Call
Don't miss out on the opportunity to apply to the third call for project applications with a deadline on 7 June 2024 at 12:00 pm CEST (Paris time). This call invites submissions from entities in the EU-27 countries, Norway, Switzerland, and the newly added countries.
Find specific details and requirements for this call by following the link to the EUcalls platform:
Interreg Europe third call for project proposals
Submit your proposal or declare your interest in finding partners to collaborate with and form a consortium.
Join the Interreg Europe Community
The expansion of the Interreg Europe programme to include new countries offers exciting opportunities for collaboration and innovation. If you're interested in participating in European projects and finding EU-funded opportunities, now is the perfect time to get involved. Join the Interreg Europe Community to enjoy programme events, find and share good practices, and connect and cooperate with other community members.
Ready to take the next step?
Register on eucalls.net to stay updated on the latest European news and funding opportunities. Also, be sure to check out our new services, InnovateU and InnovateBiz, designed to support and fund your research, innovation and business needs.
Join us in building a smarter, greener, and more connected Europe!
