1. Sharing solutions for better regional policies European Union | European Regional Development Fund Nicolas Singer | Head of Unit – Projects & Platforms Luxembourg, 15 September 2015  ETC MA annual meeting Complementarity between Interreg Europe and other Structural Funds programmes

2. 2 Interreg Europe: at the heart of the cohesion policy

3. 3 Objective set in the ETC Regulation - Article 2(3)(a) for interregional cooperation: ‘to reinforce the effectiveness of cohesion policy’ ‘identification and dissemination of good practices with a view to their transfer principally to operational programmes under the Investment for growth and jobs goal but also, where relevant to cooperation programme’ Interreg Europe rationale

4. 4 EU Cohesion policy Goal 1: Investment for growth & jobs EUR 340 billion Goal 2: European Territorial Cooperation EUR 10.2 billion INTERREG EUROPE EUR 359 m Exchange of experience to improve performance of policies for regional development, in particular Structural Funds (SF) programmes

5. 5 Only Interreg covering EU 28 + NO & CH Interreg Europe: main features A thematic programme

6. 6 Projects  Involving limited number of regions  2 phases  Stakeholder groups  Action Plans Platforms  Open to all  Closely related to projects Interreg Europe: actions supported Possible synergies with other EU programmes

7. 7 Benefits of interregional cooperation for SF programmes?

8. 8 Improving the implementation of SF programmes: Level 1: support new projects Level 2: influence programme management Level 3: influence programme content Core benefits may not require funding!

9. 9 LEGEND project: 'Low Enthalpy Geothermal ENergy Demonstration cases for Energy Efficient building in Adriatic area' -Submitted and approved in 2012 under the IPA Adriatic Cross-border Cooperation Programme -Largest geothermal energy investment campaign ever done in the Adriatic euro-region -Total budget: EUR 3,085,540 including 1,5M for 10 requalification actions of public buildings (5 in Italy, 2 in Croatia, 1 in Albania, 1 in Montenegro, 1 in Bosnia Herzegovina) through the application of heat pump technologies Level 1: support new projects

10. 10 Modification of the monitoring system for the evaluation of the innovation measures in the ROP of: -Bretagne (FR) -PACA (FR) -Puglia (IT) -Wielkopolska (PL) Level 2: change programme management

11. 11 Level 3: change programme content Partner: Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy Policy improved: Bulgarian ESF development programme ESF ‘Development’ programme tackling unemployment after mass redundancies in enterprises. Thanks to project, modification of the programme to include preferential treatment to people age 50+

12. 12 Other benefits Cooperation between actors who would normally compete Visibility / international recognition / attractiveness Capacity building / contribution to creativity and innovation …..

13. 13 Involvement of Managing Authorities (MAs) in interregional cooperation?

14. 14 20 projects / 243 partners 52 partners (21%) are MAs or Intermediate Bodies (IB) from 19 Member States Survey from mid-term evaluation update: 75% of Action Plans partly or fully implemented Participation in IVC Capitalisation Projects

15. 15 9 Regional Initiative Projects with main focus on SF programmes: 118 partners including 25 MA/IB (22%) 3 related to ETC 6 related to national & regional OP Participation in other IVC projects

16. 16  Active participation as project partners  Political endorsement as signatory of letters of support  Active involvement in phase 2 of projects (roll-out of the action plan)  Increase durability of results achieved within ETC through: o Closer cooperation with national and regional Operational Programmes o Active use of Interreg Europe policy learning platforms Conclusion: new role for MAs of ETC

17. Sharing solutions for better regional policies European Union | European Regional Development Fund Interregeurope Thank you! www.interregeurope.eu