Cross-border cooperation: Commission adopts seven new programmes

Today the Commission adopted seven new cross-border cooperation programmes, worth over €740 million from the European Regional Development Fund and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. The seven programmes are  Italy-Switzerland, Italy-Greece, Italy-Slovenia, Italy-Croatia, Lithuania-Poland, “Greater Region”,  involving  France,  Luxembourg,  Belgium  and Germany  and  Hungary-Serbia. EU investments under these seven programmes focus on the following priorities, with funding adjusted to the border regions’ specific needs: increasing the innovation capacities of local small businesses, preserving natural and cultural resources to develop sustainable tourism activities, improving cross-border connectivity and labour mobility, promoting enhanced cooperation between public institutions and civil organisations and encouraging the joint management of natural risks. “Our Interreg programmes are tangible examples of how the EU is working to help citizens address common challenges and tap into shared potential, while promoting solidarity beyond regional borders,”Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu said. The descriptions of the 2014-2020 programmes are available on Commissioner Crețu‘s webpage and on the Inforegio website.