Programmes Interreg – EUI/Urbact/ESPON
Introduction
The European territorial cooperation programmes (Interreg) of urban policy and of territorial research (ESPON) are financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and aim to promote cooperation between European regions on a series of issues and co-finance collaborative projects bringing together project leaders from different European regions.
Under the new 2021-2027 framework of the cohesion policy, the Region of Brussels-Capital will be participating in 4 programmes:
All four programmes represent a unique opportunity for Project Leaders in Brussels to fully develop their projects in accordance with the current European priorities.
In this page, you will find all the useful information on the projects as well as the Contact Points that you can use to help you set up your project!
Interreg North-West Europe (Interreg NWE) is an interregional cooperation programme whose aim is to make the North West Europe region a key economic player and an attractive place to work and live, with high levels of innovation, sustainability and cohesion.
For the Programming 2021-2027, Interreg NWE is funding projects involving different regions included in this programme (BE, CH, DE, FR, IE, LU, NL), related to the following priorities:
- Climate and environment
- Energy transition
- Circular economy
- Innovation and resilience
- Inclusive society
Financing aspects
With a total budget of more than 310 MILLION EUR for the 2021-2027 period, Interreg NWE co-finances up to 60% of the budget of the projects addressing one of the five priorities (investment and/or operating costs).
Who can benefit
The programme is open to any public or private organization. Project partnerships must be made up of at least three organizations from three different countries.
Contact Point
Céline Manac’h, Brussels International, cmanach@sprb.brussels
To know more about the programme: Interreg NWE
Interreg Europe is a programme worth almost 380 million EUR for the period 2021-2027, which aims to improve the implementation of regional development policies on a European scale.
It currently spans the 27 Member States of the European Union, plus Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldavia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine, with the focus of financing two types of strategic actions: interregional cooperation projects about a common political question and a Policy Learning Platform, a board where good practices and networking can be exchanged by the participants
Financing Aspects
The current program funds up to 80% of the fund needed for cooperation (70% for private non-profit organizations)
Who can benefit
The program is open to public authorities, public law bodies and private non-profit bodies.
Contact Point
Guillaume Deleuze, Brussels International, gdeleuze@sprb.brussels
To know more about the programme: INTERREG EUROPE
The European Urban Initiative is a programme funded by the European Union whose aim is to directly support urban areas so that they can experiment and test new solutions to urgent urban challenges
Under this context, the Programme assists at strengthening the capacity of cities at designing sustainable urban development policies, funding innovate actions in cities to experiment and transfer it to other EU cities, and providing knowledge for cities based on experiences. All this with the final commitment of sustainable urban development all across Europe.
Financing Aspects
With a total budget of 450 MILLION EUR for the period 2021-2027, the Programme supports urban authorities with up to 80% direct co-financing, up to 5 MILLION EUR through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Who can benefit
The program is open to urban authorities with innovative urban ideas or projects.
Contact Point
Raissa Mohamed Robleh, Brussels International, rmohamedrobleh@sprb.brussels
To know more about the programme: European Urban Initiative
URBACT is an exchange programme promoting sustainable urban development on a European level, with an ERDF funding of almost 80 million EUR. URBACT facilitates the sharing of knowledge and good practice between cities and other levels of government
The objective is to promote an integrated sustainable development in cities, improve urban policies and reinforce the efficiency of cohesion policies in cities, through 3 priorities:
- Develop transnational networks to improve the capacities of European cities.
- Improve the capacity of urban actors to conceive and put in practice new policies and innovations.
- Ensure that the URBACT knowledge and practices are made accessible.
It currently spans all Europe: from the 27 Member States to Switzerland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
Financing Aspects
The URBACT programme can provide up to 90% of eligible costs depending on the case (travel, expertise and operating expenses).
Who can benefit
The eligible beneficiaries are the metropolises, towns, communes and local urban agencies; or in the case of the Brussels-Region: the Region and its administrations, as well as the Organizations of Public Interest (OPI), the Communes, inter-communal and local agencies, and the universities and research centers.
Contact Point
Bruno Bianchet, bruno.bianchet@uliege.be
Fabian Massart, fabian.massart@uliege.be
To know more about the programme: URBACT
What
The ESPON program (European Spatial Planning Observation Network) organizes and funds applied research, territorial analyses, and data collection to support the development of territorial policies in Europe. ESPON develops scientific evidence, new data, maps, strategic advice, and pan-European comparative analyses. ESPON helps regions, cities, national governments, and the EU improve the quality of their decision-making by supporting the development, implementation, and monitoring of their territorial policies and strategies.
Financial Aspects
ESPON is one of the European Territorial Cooperation programs (Interreg). It is funded by the Cohesion Policy (ERDF). The total budget for ESPON for the 2021-2027 programming period is 60 million euros, with 80% coming from the EU’s contribution (48 million euros) and 20% from the 27 Member States (12 million euros). Additionally, the ESPON 2030 program receives support of 1.685 million euros from the four partner states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland).
There is no budget directly allocated to project partners. ESPON directly covers the costs of research that falls within the program’s themes and follows calls for tenders.
Who Can Benefit?
Local, regional, and national authorities, as well as EU-funded programs, are the primary beneficiaries of ESPON’s results. They can request the services of the program’s managing body, the ESPON EGTC (ESPON Grouping of Territorial Cooperation), and obtain tailor-made studies, including comparative analyses, case studies, and policy guidance on topics of interest.
Contact Points
Belgian Contact Point: Jan Zaman, Idea Consult, jan.zaman@ideaconsult.be
Monitoring Committee for the Brussels-Capital Region: Sandrine De Meyer, perspective.brussels, sdemeyer@perspective.brussels
For more information on the program: ESPON & ESPON Belgium
Interreg – EUI/Urbact News
Interreg NWE
Registration now open for our “Small projects, new opportunities!”, online event
Interreg North-West Europe: new call for projects
The Interreg North-West Europe territorial cooperation programme…
