Overview
European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), better known as Interreg, is one of the two goals of cohesion policy and provides a framework for the implementation of joint actions and policy exchanges between national, regional and local actors from different Member States. The overarching objective of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) is to promote a harmonious economic, social and territorial development of the Union as a whole.
European Cross-Border cooperation, known as Interreg A, supports cooperation between NUTS III regions from at least two different Member States lying directly on the borders or adjacent to them. It aims to tackle common challenges identified jointly in the border regions and to exploit the untapped growth potential in border areas, while enhancing the cooperation process for the purposes of the overall harmonious development of the Union.
In accordance with the new design of the European Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 and the targets set out in Europe 2020, Interreg has significantly been reshaped to achieve greater impact and an even more effective use of the investments. Key elements of the 2014-2020 reform are:
- Concentration
- Simplification
- Results orientation
The fifth period of Interreg is based on 11 investment priorities laid down in the ERDF Regulation contributing to the delivery of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. At least, 80% of the budget for each cooperation programme has to concentrate on a maximum of 4 thematic objectives among the eleven EU priorities:
- Research and Innovation
- Information and Communication technologies
- Competitiveness of SMEs
- Low-carbon economy
- Combating climate change
- Environment and resource efficiency
- Sustainable transport
- Employment and mobility
- Social inclusion
- Better education, training
- Better public administration
The fifth programming period of Interreg has a budget of EUR 10.1 billion invested in over 100 cooperation programmes between regions and territorial, social and economic partners. This budget also includes the ERDF allocation for Member States to participate in EU external border cooperation programmes supported by other instruments (Instrument for Pre-Accession and European Neighborhood Instrument).
- 60 Cross-border – Interreg V-A, along 38 internal EU borders. ERDF contribution: EUR 6.6 billion.
- 12 IPA Cross-border: Instrument for Pre-Accession and European Neighborhood Instrument
- 16 ENI Cross-border :International Cooperation and Development
- 15 Transnational – Interreg V-B, covering larger areas of co-operation such as the Baltic Sea, Alpine and Mediterranean regions. ERDF contribution: EUR 2.1 billion.
- The interregional co-operation programme, INTERREG Europe, and 3 networking programmes (Urbact III, Interact III and ESPON) cover all 28 Member States of the EU. They provide a framework for exchanging experience between regional and local bodies in different countries. ERDF contribution: EUR 500 million.
The Interreg VA programme covers a number of sub-programmes:
- Austria - Czech Republic
- Austria - Germany / Bavaria (Bayern - Österreich)
- Austria - Hungary
- Belgium - France (France - Wallonie - Vlaanderen)
- Belgium - Germany - The Netherlands Euregio Meuse-Rhin / Euregio Maas-Rijn / Euregio Maas-Rhein
- Belgium - The Netherlands (Vlaanderen - Nederland)
- Czech Republic - Poland
- Estonia - Latvia
- Finland - Estonia - Latvia - Sweden (Central Baltic)
- France (Guadeloupe - Martinique - Organisation Économique de la Caraïbe orientale)
- (Mayotte / Comores / Madagascar)
- France (Réunion - Pays de la Commission de l'Océan Indien)
- France (Saint Martin - Sint Maarten)
- France - Belgium - Germany - Luxembourg (Grande Région / Großregion)
- France - Belgium - The Netherlands - United Kingdom (Les Deux Mers / Two seas / Twee Zeeën)
- France - Germany - Switzerland (Rhin supérieur-Oberrhein)
- France - Italy (ALCOTRA)
- France - United Kingdom (Manche - Channel)
- France / Guiana - Brazil - Suriname (Amazonie)
- France-Switzerland
- Germany - Austria - Switzerland - Liechtenstein (Alpenrhein - Bodensee - Hochrhein)
- Germany - Denmark
- Germany - The Netherlands
- Germany / Bavaria - Czech Republic
- Germany / Brandenburg - Poland
- Germany / Mecklenburg - Western Pomerania / Brandenburg - PolandGermany / Saxony - Czech Republic
- Greece - Bulgaria
- Greece - Cyprus
- Greece - Italy
- Hungary - Croatia
- Hungary - Romania
- Italy - Austria
- Italy - Croatia
- Italy - France (Maritime)
- Italy - Malta
- Italy - Slovenia
- Italy - Switzerland
- Latvia - Lithuania
- Lithuania - Poland
- Poland - Denmark - Germany - Lithuania - Sweden (South Baltic)
- Poland - Germany / Saxony
- Poland - Slovakia
- Romania - Bulgaria
- Slovakia - Austria
- Slovakia - Czech Republic
- Slovakia - Hungary
- Slovenia - Austria
- Slovenia - Croatia
- Slovenia - Hungary
- Spain - France - Andorra (POCTEFA)
- Spain - Portugal (Madeira - Açores - Canarias (MAC))
- Spain - Portugal (POCTEP)
- Sweden - Denmark - Norway (Öresund - Kattegat - Skagerrak).
- Sweden - Finland - Norway (Botnia Atlantica)
- Sweden - Finland - Norway (Nord)
- Sweden - Norway
- United Kingdom - Ireland (Ireland - Wales)
- United Kingdom-Ireland (Ireland-Northern Ireland-Scotland)