INTERREG EUROPE programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is intended to promote policy learning among public authorities in order to improve the functioning of the policies and programmes of regional development. It allows public authorities across Europe exchanging experience and ideas on the functioning of public policy, and thus find solutions to improve their development strategies.
The basic aim of the programme is to contribute to improving the implementation of the programmes implemented under the Investment for Growth and Employment (Objective 1) or under the European Territorial Cooperation (Objective 2). The projects will be able to contribute to improving the implementation of programmes Objective 1 and Objective 2, through one of the following measures:
a) Implementing a new project / tool funded under the Programme Objective 1, Objective 2
b) Changing the management of the programme / policy (adjustment of the terms of calls, alternative methods of monitoring, evaluation)
c) Changing the strategic focus of the programme/policy (regulation of specific objectives, integrating new plan...)
Projects may be participated by public authorities, statutory institutions and private non-profit entities. Projects will be funded by the ERDF up to 85% of eligible expenses for the public and statutory beneficiaries and 75% for non-profit private beneficiaries.
The programme management, as well as its predecessor programme, was commissioned to the Nord-Pas-de-Calais, based in Lille, France.
INTERREG EUROPE programme focuses on the following priorities:
1. Research, Technological Development and Innovation
1.1. Strengthening research and innovation infrastructure and capacity
1.2. Support for innovative chains "smart specialization" and innovation opportunities
2. Competitiveness of SMEs
2.1. Support for SMEs in the growth, development and activity in the field of innovation
3. Low-carbon economy
3.1. The transition to a low carbon economy
4. Environment and resource efficiency
4.1. Conservation, protection and development of natural and cultural heritage
4.2. Resource efficiency, ecologic growth and innovation, managing environmental impacts
INTERREG EUROPE will finance two activities:
a) Interregional cooperation projects: partnership made up of relevant policy organisations from different countries in European work together for 3 to 5 years to exchange their experiences on a particular policy issue. It is in different thematic areas with the main objective to improve the implementation of programmes under Objective 1 and Objective 2. Each region participating in the project will have to create an Action Plan that describes how the project results in the region will be used and implemented in practice. Projects will also have to monitor how the action plan would be put into practice.
b) Policy Learning Platforms: a space for continuous learning where any organization dealing with regional development policies in Europe can find solutions and request expert support to improve the way the manage and implement their public policies in the four topics listed above.
INTERREG EUROPE programme has been gradually prepared since 2012, involving partners from all EU countries and Switzerland and Norway. In 2015, the approval process for the programme took place by the European Commission and the programme was approved in June 2015.
Immediately after that the first call was opened in June 2015.
In 2016 followed the 2nd call in April and in 2017 was the 3rd call.
In May 2018 was launched the last call in this programme and closed in June 2018.
The actual version of the INTERREG EUROPE programme in English is available for download on this page or on programme website.
If you have any questions, contact the NPC (national point of contact) programme INTERREG EUROPE at the email address: meziregionalni@mmr.cz.