Baltic Sea Co-operation Programmes 2007-2013 crossborder, transnational and interregional cooperation RePlast FinEst Closing Workshop, 26 September 2007, Espoo Harry Ekestam, Ministry of the Interior, harry.ekestam@intermin.fi
European territorial cooperation 2007-2013 The new objective promotes crossborder, transnational and interregional cooperation in the EU. Based on the earlier INTERREG community initiative territorial cooperation objective only between the EU member states cooperation on the external borders moved to ENPI or IPA programmes Total financing 7,75 billion eur from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 74 % crossborder cooperation 21 % transnational cooperation 5 % interregional cooperation certain amount allocated to ENPI CBC and IPA cooperation Finland total 120,2 meur (current prices) from ERDF out of which 39,6 meur is allocated to the ENPI CBC programmes 2
Focus of this presentation Territorial cooperation programmes in the Baltic Sea area and particularly three programmes involving both Finland and Estonia: - Central Baltic Interreg IV A programme (crossborder cooperation) - Baltic Sea Region programme (transnational cooperation) - Interreg IV C programme (interregional cooperation) NOT European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument cossborder cooperation (ENPI CBC) programmes 3
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Central Baltic Interreg IV A Programme - programme area 5
CB IVA: Priorities and subprogrammes Three common priorities 1. Safe and healthy environment 2. Economically competitive and innovative region 3. Attractive and dynamic societies Programme structure - Central Baltic programme (CB) - Southern Finland - Estonia sub-programme (SFE) - Archipelago and islands sub-programme (AI) 6
CB IVA: Central Baltic programme (CB) Whole programme area Project partners from at least two countries (exceptions, see SFE and AI) Under Priority 1: environmental awareness raising and expertise, supporting spatial planning and environmental management Under Priority 2: supporting innovation and improving competitiveness, improving internal and external accessibility, optimising the potential of the labour force Under Priority 3: improving living conditions and social institutions, increasing social inclusion 7
CB IVA: Southern Finland - Estonia sub-programme (SFE) Finnish and Swedish parts of the programme area Project partners from Finland and Estonia (exceptions, see AI) Under Priority 1: maintaining and improving the conditions of the natural environment, taking responsibility for our physical environment Under Priority 2: improving connections within the programme area, creating and supporting innovation and competitive environments, meeting challenges of the labour market Under Priority 3: social security and well-being of different groups in society, stimulating and preserving our heritage and culture 8
CB IVA: Archipelago and islands sub-programme (AI) Island areas in the whole programme area Project partners from at least two of EE, FI (incl. Åland) and SE Under Priority 1: sustainable infrastructure, raising environmental awareness (finding new ways) Under Priority 2: sustainable tourism, knowledge based economy, developing archipelago and island specific economic activities, supporting accessibility to and information about the archipelago and islands Under Priority 3: social and demographic issues (esp. young people) 9
CB IVA: Financing Programme funding - ERDF 102,2 MEUR - Pr1: 28,0; Pr2: 42,5; Pr3: 25,5; TA: 6,1 - CB: 52,5; SFE: 26,5; AI: 17,0 EU co-financing share (projects) - FI, SE up to 75 % - EE, LV up to 85 % 10
CB IVA: Applying for funding - when and how? Firstcallfor maybeopenedbeforechristmas Applications to be sent to Joint Technical Secretariat s (JTS) main office in Turku Decisions will be taken by the relevant Steering Committee (CB, SFE or AI) Information and advice: - Head of secretariat Mr. Philipp Schwartz (philipp.schwartz@varsinais-suomi.fi) - JTS staff in the five offices: Turku, Stockholm, Mariehamn, Tallinn and Riga (to be recruited soon) - website www.centralbaltic.eu (to be opened soon) - programme manual (under preparation) 11
Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 - programme area 8 member states, Norway, Russia and Belarus The same eligible programme area in the member states and Norway as in 2000-2006 In Russia also Archangelsk, Komi and Nenetsky regions can participate in Barents projects Whole of Belarus included 12
BSR: Participation of Russia and Belarus (ENPI component) The BSR programme is a transnational cooperation programme under the European Territorial Cooperation objective including financing from the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) for partners from Russia and Belarus ENPI financing integrated in the programme budget After the final approval of the programme, the Commission and Russia and Belarus will sign ENPI financing agreements On project level, the management of ENPI financing will respect ENPI rules 13
BSR: Priorities 1 and 2 Priority 1: Fostering innovations accross the BSR - Providing support for innovation sources - Facilitating the technology transfer and diffusion of knowledge across the BSR - Strengthening the social capacity in generation and absorption of new knowledge Priority 2: Improving external and internal accessibility of the BSR - Promotion of transport and ICT measures enhancing accessibility and sustainable socio-economic growth - Actions stimulating further integration within existing transnational development zones and creation of new ones 14
BSR: Priorities 3 and 4 Priority 3: Managing the Baltic Sea as a common resource - Water management with special attention to challenges caused by increasing economic activities and climate changes - Economic management of open sea areas and sustainable use of marine resources - Enhanced maritime safety - Integrated development of off-shore and coastal areas Priority 4: Promoting attractive and competitive cities and regions - Strengthening metropolitan regions, cities and urban areas as engines of economic development - Strategic support for integrated BSR development and socioeconomic and territorial cohesion - Strengthening social conditions and impacts of regional and city development 15
BSR: Financing Programme funding ERDF 208,0 MEUR (Pr1: 58,7; Pr2: 39,1; Pr3: 58,7; Pr4: 39,1; TA: 12,5) Norway 6,0 MEUR (Pr1: 1,7; Pr2: 1,1; Pr3: 1,7; Pr4: 1,1; TA: 0,4) ENPI 22,6 MEUR (Pr1: 5,0; Pr2: 4,0; Pr3: 4,0; Pr4: 7,3; TA: 2,3) EU co-financing share (projects) ERDF DE, DK, FI, SE up to 75 % EE, LT, LV, PL up to 85 % Norway up to 50 % ENPI up to 90 % 16
BSR: Applying for funding - requirements and possibilities Partnership requirement: at least 3 beneficiaries (partners) from at least 3 different countries of the programme area Geographic flexibility for using ERDF funding - up to 20 % of the ERDF financing can be used by project partners in EU countries outside the programme area - up to 10 % of the ERDF financing can be used for implementing operations outside the EU, e.g. in Russia or Belarus - in both cases these activities have to benefit the regions of the programme area Projects fulfilling certain criteria can be defined as Strategic Projects 17
BSR: Applying for funding - when and how? First application round: probably in the first quarter of 2008 Applications to be sent to the Joint Technical Secretariat s (JTS) main office in Rostock Decisions taken by joint Monitoring Committee Information and advice: - website: http://eu.baltic.net - JTS offices in Rostock and Riga - programme manual (under preparation) - reimbursement of preparation costs? 18
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Interregional cooperation programme Interreg IV C enables cooperation between regional and local authorities from different countries in the EU 27, Norway and Switzerland. exchange and transfer of experiences and jointly developed approaches and instruments that improve the effectiveness of regional development policies and contribute to economic modernisation It is an important instrument for the implementation of the EU initiative Regions for Economic Change (REC). REC is designed to support regional and urban networks discovering best practice in economic modernisation, particularly those contributing to the Union s growth and jobs agenda, and to spread this best practice to all regions in order to help stimulate their sustainable growth and reduce economic disparities. 20
IVC: Programme area and financing Eligible area: the whole EU with Norway and Switzerland Total ERDF financing 321 MEUR financing also from Norway and Switzerland EU co-financing share (projects) - ERDF up to 75 %: Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, Luxemburg, France, Sweden, Germany, Finland and Denmark - ERDF up to 85 %: Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech republic, Hungary and Estonia 21
IVC: Thematic priorities 1) Innovation and knowledge economy (55 % of financing) - innovation, research and technology development, - entrepreneurship and SMEs, - the information society, - employment, human capital and education 2) Environment and risk prevention (39 % of financing) - natural and technological risks, - water management, - waste management, - biodiversity and preservation of natural heritage, - energy and sustainable transport, - cultural heritage and landscape 3) Technical assistance 6 % of financing 22
IVC: Two types of interventions The programme supports two different types of interventions 1) Regional Initiative Projects initiated by regional actors aiming to exchange experience in a specific policy field in order to identify best practice and develop new tools and approaches for implementation. 2) Capitalisation, incl. Fast Track projects to ensure that best practice identified, for instance by the regional initiative projects mentioned above, finds its way into the Convergence and Competitiveness programmes. 23
IVC: Applying for funding - requirements and possibilities Partnership requirement: beneficiaries (partners) from at least 3 countries of the EU Geographic flexibility for using ERDF funding - up to 10 % of the ERDF financing can be used for implementing operations outside the EU when they benefit the regions of the programme area 24
IVC: Applying for funding - when and how? First application round has been opened and will be closed on 15 January 2008 Applications to be sent to the Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS) in Lille Decisions taken by joint Monitoring Committee Information and advice: - website: www.interreg4c.net (to be opened by end of September 2007) - JTS office in Lille and regional contact points in Katowice, Lille, Rostock and Valencia 25
More information at the website of the Ministry of the Interior www.intermin.fi/suomi/ /suomi/alueellinen_yhteistyo