France and the United Kingdom: over €223 million of EU funds for cross-border initiatives

The Commission adopted yesterday the new interregional programme (“Interreg”) “Manche-Channel” between France and the United Kingdom, worth over €315 million, with €223 million coming from the European Regional Development Fund. Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu said: “Our cross-border programmes are one of the most tangible examples of the EU’s work to help citizens address common challenges with shared resources. The programme adopted today will allow the regions on either side of the Channel to work together in the promotion of smart and sustainable growth. We expect nearly 24 million people in these regions to benefit from the projects funded on the back of today’s decision.” This programme will support innovation and the low carbon economy in regions bordering the Channel. It will also promote the regions’ natural and cultural assets and foster cross-border initiatives to enhance and protect the regions’ shared water ecosystems. The descriptions of the 2014-2020 programmes are available on Commissioner Crețu‘s webpage and on the Inforegio website.