Interreg Cooperation Day 2024

Europe is a large continent with vastly different countries that have varying conditions. At the forefront of the work to unite the continent is the EU and the belief that all European citizens have everything to gain from expanded cooperation at all levels.

This cooperation is often most apparent in Brussels and Strasbourg, where EU parliamentarians and heads of government from member states regularly meet to agree on new EU legislation that charts the way forward for the union.

However, an equally important part of European cooperation, which is not always as visible, is the extensive collaboration that occurs at the regional level. The EU is not only divided into its 27 member states but also into small and large geographical cooperation areas that span across national borders and aim to promote collaboration within the union based on local conditions.

Today, there are a total of 86 such divisions, which have funding programs attached to them to finance development efforts for the respective area.

These collaborations are known as Interreg programs. One example of such a program is the Interreg Baltic Sea Region, which brings together all the countries around the Baltic Sea, and another program is Interreg South Baltic, which unites the regions around the southern Baltic Sea.

Click here to see an interactive map of all Interreg programs.

The Interreg programs are a high priority for the EU member states, and each year the union invests approximately 100 million euros in these programs. Actors throughout Europe, both large and small, can apply for this funding to jointly address common challenges with other stakeholders in their vicinity.

Example: ReTour

ReTour is a three-year project that Visit Skåne is implementing together with partners from Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and Denmark. The aim is to develop and promote regenerative tourism experiences. By testing and exploring challenges and opportunities, the project seeks to lead to a development where tourism creates positive effects for both the environment and the local communities in the Baltic Sea area.

Why is the project important?

The project represents a significant boost in the effort to develop more regenerative experiences, that is, the opportunity to create tourism that gives back to the community and creates value for the location and local population.

Carla Aguirre Mouritzen, Deputy CEO of Visit Skåne, describes the work:

– Together with local stakeholders, we take a holistic perspective to develop offerings that will leave a positive impact on the places visited. This is an approach we at Visit Skåne have tested on a smaller scale before. Now we have the opportunity to test and learn across national borders.

Why do we need to cooperate on this?

Regenerative tourism requires an approach that considers many aspects of sustainability. By identifying what the place needs, experiences can be developed that take into account key issues such as how environmental protection, cultural preservation, and economic development interact. This could involve creating unexpected tourism experiences where the conditions and specific needs of places and communities guide which experiences are developed. In this way, value is added to the location while providing visitors with a more meaningful experience. Achieving this requires collaboration among various stakeholders, such as local communities, businesses, non-profit organizations, and authorities.

Collaboration with the countries around the Baltic Sea is a crucial part for ReTour to become a successful project. Our regions look very different, yet we face common challenges, such as short seasons and high pressure on certain specific locations. In the pilots, these differences become a strength, and through various test sites, we can achieve a broader range of methods that can be shared with other destinations. Another important aspect is that by collaborating on this project, we can also identify other issues where we can strengthen each other's competencies. The goal is to establish a working method that can be integrated into all our partner regions.

About the project:

• Project duration: June 1, 2024 - May 31, 2027
• Budget: 1 877 594 euros
• Funding: Interreg - South Baltic Sea
• Project owner: Visit Skåne AB

 

Example: D-effect

The organization Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic in Poland, along with the Culture and Recreation Administration of Hässleholm Municipality, Västervik High School, and partners from Lithuania, Poland, Denmark, Germany, and Sweden, will jointly implement the D-effect project.

Markus Jensen, Head of the Culture and Recreation Administration in Hässleholm Municipality, describes the project:

– With D-effect, we want to capture the ideas and engagement of young people. The goal is to first create a common understanding of young people's roles and what we mean by democracy and to work from there. We will do this by meeting both at home and in each other's locations. We in Hässleholm will, among other things, organize a youth festival. One of our project partners will lead the work on how we can use gamification as a form of engagement. Another project partner will share research on youth and democracy.

Why is the project important?

– I believe that the youth of Hässleholm deserve a real opportunity to develop in democratic issues; this project provides that opportunity.

Why do we need to cooperate on this?

– Overall, it’s beneficial to gain other perspectives. The young people will see how things work in other countries; they will broaden their horizons and gain new impressions. This is incredibly important for the development of the individual, as well as for society and Hässleholm.

About the project:

• Project duration: May 1 2024 - April 30 2027
• Budget: 2 288 981 euros
• Funding: Interreg South Baltic
• Project owner: Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic