Working Report, 23/2006 – Strengthening Environmental Integration in the EU

Strengthening Environmental Integration in the EU

Annex III

INTERREG III

INTERREG is a ‘Community Initiative’ financed during the 2000-2006 period by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), one of the EU's Structural Funds. It aims to promote co-operation across national and regional borders, in order to strengthen economic and social cohesion and the 'balanced development' of the EU's territory. This co-operation may be focused on several different issues, but environmental protection and sustainable development is a key element of the INTERREG programme. This reflects the commitment of the Structural Funds to contribute to the 'harmonious, balanced and sustainable development of economic activities' in the EU’s regions.

The current programme - INTERREG III – runs until 2006, with a budget of almost €4.9 billion for the 2000-2006 period. Under the forthcoming, revised Structural Funds Regulations for the post-2006 period, INTERREG–type projects will be financed under the proposed European Territorial Co-operation priority, with a much larger budget. Detailed arrangements for implementing this priority are expected to be published after the new Structural Funds Regulations are agreed later in 2005.

INTERREG is about networking and co-operation to tackle issues of common concern across national borders, both within the EU and with third countries. So the programmes and projects must be developed and administered jointly, and involve partners from at least two member states – and sometimes as many as five.

INTERREG III is divided into three 'strands', each focused on different types of co-operation in different geographical contexts:

Strand A for cross-border work between immediately neighbouring regions;
Strand B: for transnational co-operation between much larger groupings of European countries and regions;
Strand C: for interregional networks among (non-contiguous) regional and other public authorities across the territory of the Union (and neighbouring countries).

These are described below in more detail.

IIIA: Cross-border co-operation between neighbouring regions.

This is aimed at promoting the integrated economic, social and environmental development of cross-border regions, through joint strategies and programmes. All regions (NUTS III level) along the internal and external borders of the Community are included, together with certain maritime borders. IIIA receives by far the biggest share of the total INTERREG III budget - at least 50% (i.e. < 2.4 billion euros), but possibly as much as 80%. (This depends on how individual Member States choose to divide their national INTERREG allocations between the Strand A and B programmes in which they are involved).

Draft Strand A programmes have been drawn up for an entire border, with sub-programmes for each individual cross-border region where appropriate. Programmes have been developed by partnerships dominated by the relevant regional authorities. Regional contacts can be found on the Commission’s Europa website.

IIIB: Transnational cooperation across large groupings of European countries and regions.

INTERREG IIIB is focused on nine large groups of countries or parts of countries, which together cover the entire territory of the EU. These are: Western Mediterranean; Alpine Space; Atlantic Area; NW Europe; North Sea Area; Baltic Sea Area; CADSES; Northern Periphery; Archimed. The purpose of IIIB is to promote a higher degree of integrated territorial planning within these areas, reflecting the recommendations of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). For each IIIB region, a single programme has been drawn up by an international working group of representatives of Member States and regional authorities. Priorities in each programme are set within a framework of a joint ‘spatial vision’ or planning strategy developed by the international working groups. Each programme is administered by a joint international secretariat. Between 14 and 44% of the INTERREG III budget is allocated to Strand B programmes.

IIIC: Interregional cooperation among (non-contiguous) regional and other public authorities.

Strand C is the smallest element of INTERREG III (with only 6 per cent of the total budget i.e. 295 million euro). Its overall objective is to improve the quality of projects funded by the mainstream Structural Funds and Community Initiatives through exchanges of experience and networking among regional and other public authorities. It applies throughout the entire territory of the Union (and some neighbouring countries), and supports networks of regional authorities which may be geographically dispersed right across Europe.

A single INTERREG IIIC joint programme has been drawn up on the basis of most IIIB areas. However, this does not mean that all the partners in a network supported by INTERREG IIIC should be located only in one IIIB area. The lead partner in a proposed network will apply for support through the programme for the IIIB area in which he is located, and it will be that IIIC programme which will bear the entire cost of the project, even if most of the members of the network are located outside the lead partner's programme area.

Despite its relatively small size, IIIC is the most complicated of the three strands. Each of the eight IIIC programmes sets out four priority categories of co-operation and three types of projects, in relation to a number of substantive themes.

Developing Interreg IIIC programmes and projects needs a considerable investment of time and patience, and it would be difficult to develop a suitable project before the expiry of the 2000-2006 programming period. However, similar opportunities will occur under the new post-2006 Regulations.

For more information on Interreg III – http://www.europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/g24204.htm