1. Interregional co-operation across the entire EU territory and neighbouring countries on topics closely related to regional development INTERREG IIIC North Joint Technical Secretariat, December 2003

2. Contents INTERREG IIIC in general Co-operation Area Programme Zones Types of Operation Topics for Co-operation Participation ERDF Budgets Available Programme Management INTERREG IIIC & EU Enlargement Contact Information

3. The INTERREG InitiativeMain objectives economic and social cohesion balanced and sustainable development of the European territory territorial integration with candidate and other neighbouring countries

4. INTERREG IIIC INTERREG III cross-border co-operation transnational co-operation interregional co-operation INTERREG IIIAINTERREG IIICINTERREG IIIB... is one strand of the EU Community Initiative INTERREG III

5. Interregional co-operation aims to improve the effectiveness of policies and instruments for regional development and cohesion through large-scale information and know-how exchange and sharing of experience among European regions

6. Co-operation Area entire EU territory including insular and outermost regions Norway, Switzerland accession and candidate countries MEDA countries other interested countries

7. Programme Zones Joint Technical Secretariats North: Rostock, Germany East: Vienna, Austria South: Valencia, Spain West: Lille, France North East South West

8. INTERREG IIIC North Denmark Whole countryBelarus Whole countryLithuania Whole countryLatvia Whole countryEstonia Whole countryNorway Whole countryFinland Whole countrySweden Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Schleswig- Holstein Germany Whole country Programme area

9. INTERREG IIIC East Programme area Whole country Yugoslavia Whole country Croatia Whole country Slovenia Whole country Hungary Whole country Slovakia Whole country Czech Republic Poland Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki, Kentriki Makedonia, Dytiki Makedonia, Thessalia, Ipeiros Greece Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Emilia- Romagna, Puglia, Molise, Abruzzo, Marche Italy Bayern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Berlin, Brandenburg, Thüringen Germany Whole country Austria

10. Spain Whole country France Midi-Pyrennées, Limousin, Auvergne, Aquitaine, Languedoc- Roussillon, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Corse, Guyane, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion Greece Dytiki Ellada, Peloponnisos, Voreio Aigaio, Notio Aigaio, Kriti, Ionia Nisia, Stera Ellada, Attiki Italy Piémont, Lombardie, Ligurie, Toscane, Ombrie, Lazio, Campanie, Sardaigne, Basilicate, Calabre, Sicile, Val d’Aoste Portugal Whole country United Kingdom Gibraltar INTERREG IIIC South Programme area

11. France Nord-Pas de Calais, Picardie, Haute-Normandie, Île de France, Basse-Normandie, Centre, Champagne- Ardennes, Lorraine, Bourgogne, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Bretagne, Pays de la Loire Belgium Whole country Netherlands Whole country Luxembourg Whole country Germany Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg United Kingdom Whole country (except Gibraltar) Ireland Whole country INTERREG IIIC West Programme area

12. Regions without joint borders can work together in common projects e.g. Swedish lead partner applies to North zone

13. Types of Operation Three types of operation are eligible for funding:

14. Pt Lead participant Project 1 Pt Lead participant Project 3 Pt Lead participant Project 2 Regional Partner Regional Partner LEAD PARTNER minimum of three different countries at least two must be Member States Regional Framework Operation large-scale regional co-operation comprising various sub-projects

15. Lead Partner Individual Project minimum of three different countries at least two must be Member States Project Partner Project Partner co-operation activities addressing only one specific topic

16. Network minimum of five different countries at least three must be Member States Lead Partner co-operation activities mainly directed at structured exchange of experience

17. Types of Operation General provisions

18. Topics for Co-operation Activities can cover a wide rage of themes closely related to regional development policy. These are divided into five key topics: - Structural Funds Objective 1 and 2 - INTERREG programmes - Urban development - Innovative Actions - Other appropriate subjects Additional topic for co-operation in the North, East and South zone - „Border region operations“.

19. Topics for Co-operation Network Individual Project Regional Framework Operation Border region operations OthersInnovative Actions Urban develop- ment INTERREGObjective 1 and 2

20. ParticipationWho can participate? Public authorities or public equivalent bodies Network Public authorities or public equivalent bodies Individual project Regional public authorities or equivalent bodies* Regional Framework Operation

21. ERDF Budgets per Programme Zone Altogether 293 million EUR ERDF funds are available for co-financing operations plus 2.7 million EUR Norwegian national funds as well as 15 million EUR for border region operations.

22. Programme Management All four programme zones are managed homogenously: Monitoring Committee* Steering Committee* Managing Authority Paying Authority Joint Technical Secretariat *In the North Zone, the tasks of the Monitoring and Steering Committees are performed by a joint body – the Monitoring and Steering Committee of the INTERREG IIIC North

23. INTERRG IIIC & EU Enlargement 10 new countries Partners from accession countries, which will join the EU in 2004, will be eligible for ERDF funding from 1 January 2004*. In the second application round (16.6.-26.9.2003) they can apply as partners in the operations on the same terms with the partners coming from the EU Member States, with the only exception – they cannot be Lead Partners. * In the case of unexpected problems or delays in the enlargement process or with the amendment and approval of the INTERREG IIIC Programmes, the ERDF funding cannot be guaranteed.

24. Latvia in INTERREG IIIC In the first round 5 operations involving 6 Latvian partners have been approved  WINNET – a network of women resource centres in Europe, LV partner – Livani Municiplity  RENE – a network of institutions dealing with rural development issues, LV partner – Agricultural Advisory and Training Centre in Ozolnieki  HANSE PASSAGE – transfer of experience and cooperation on regional economic development between old and new Member States, LV partners – Riga and Kurzeme Regional Development Agencies  LOGON – cooperation on information exchange among local government associations, LV partner – Association of Local and Regional Governments  InterMETREX – network dealing with exchange of experience on spatial planning and development, LV partner – Riga City Council

25. Statistics of the 2nd Call for Proposals The 2nd call for proposals started on 16 June 2003 and was closed on 26 September 2003. Altogether 251 applications have been received by the four Joint Technical Secretariats North: 29 East: 64 South: 118 West: 40

26. Number of applications received First call / second call

27. Lead applicants per country

28. EU country partners (EU 25)

29. Number of applications per topic for co-operation

30. Number of applications per type of operation

31. Next Call for Proposals Scheduled for Spring 2004: launch in the beginning of March, deadline in the end of April Information event will take place on 8 & 9 March 2004 in Berlin, Germany

32. INTERREG IIIC North Joint Technical Secretariat Grubenstrasse 20, D-18055 Rostock, Germany Phone:+49 381 45 484 5285 Fax:+49 381 45 484 5282 Email: north@interreg3c.net Contact Information www.interreg3c.net