BackInteract Post 2027 Consultation reports: territorial strategies provide effective tools for leveraging synergies
Interact has published the conclusion of a 15-month exercise to consult Interreg programmes and to create a dialogue on future regulations. Through sectoral events, surveys, interviews and more, Interact sought the views of Interreg.
Overwhelmingly, Interreg programmes believe that the current regulations and general setup work. There are, of course, still opportunities to improve, both in terms of regulation and in the wider approach to Interreg in the Post-2027 period. Increasing coordination between Interreg and the mainstream funds could better address territorial challenges, and frameworks like Macro-Regional Strategies and Sea Basin Strategies provide effective tools for leveraging synergies.
The final documents include ten-subject reports, some of which are supported by additional subject-specific reports, where additional subjects needed more specific exploration. The contents of these reports reflect Interact’s best effort to collect and share the perspectives of Interreg programmes. They also aim to identify the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Interreg, EU macro-regional and Sea basin strategies – frameworks unlocking mutual benefits
According to the consultation, EU Macro-regional Strategies and Sea Basin Strategies are vital territorial strategies that offer a shared policy framework and guidance for investments and cooperation for a united territory. EU regulations recognise and stipulate Interreg programmes to contribute to the objectives of these strategies.
Recent years have shown the complementarity between strategies and Interreg, especially the four transnational Interreg programmes, which are programmed along the macro-regional strategies’ objectives aiming to foster territorial cohesion, policy change, and sustainable regional development. Territorial Strategies are drivers for policy action, they broaden the Interreg projects’ reach and knowledge transfer by engaging regional, national and pan-regional stakeholders, highlight strategic topics that call for cooperation and support EU enlargement.
However, further efforts are needed to fully capitalise on these synergies and extend their impact across all Interreg programmes and strategies. The contribution of Interreg programmes to the strategies merits more visibility, and the strategies would benefit from closer collaboration with other than transnational Interreg programmes.
In the consultation, Interreg programmes highlighted the Strategies’ potential role in shaping visions for the long-term development of the territory. This can serve as valuable input and orientation for drafting the next Interreg programmes. Clear and transparent Action Plans or thematic area work programmes derived from macro-regional or sea basin vision could then be used by programmes to shape their future calls for proposals and align projects with strategic and territorial priorities.
The document on EU macro-regional and sea basin strategies builds on feedback collected from Interreg programmes during 2024, including the Interreg Knowledge Fair 2024, the 9th Annual Forum of the EUSAIR, and the discussion in the Network of Transnational Interreg programmes regarding support to MRS.
