INTERREG VI-A HUNGARY-CROATIA PROGRAMME

The Interreg VI-A Hungary-Croatia Programme supports in the programming period 2021 to 2027 the co-operation of the common border region’s partner organisations with more than 58 million Euros from the European Regional Development Fund. The total size of the Programme will amount to 72,6 million EUR, where the difference will be covered by national contribution from the two Member States. The projects will have to be implemented by at least one project partner organisation from each side of the border, and they will have to prove their impact on the border region in order to be co-financed by the Programme.

The 2021-2027 Programme can build on a substantial pool of best practices that have been generated during the implementation of its four predecessors (the PHARE Pilot Small Project Fund 2002 and 2003, the Interreg IIIA SLO-HU-CRO Neighbourhood Programme, the Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme 2007-2013 and the Interreg V-A Hungary-Croatia Cooperation Programme 2014-2020). The potential project partners of the common border region have proven great co-operation willingness in the past and have jointly attained substantial Interreg project management expertise over the years. The challenge for the new Programme will be to take the already existing initiatives one step further, which will be facilitated by the streamlined procedures and simplified reimbursement rules planned in the 2021-2027 programming period.

Just as it was the case for the 2014-2020 programme, the EU co-financing will be available mainly for the non-profit entities of the Hungarian-Croatian border region’s 3+8 counties (see map of eligible programme area), as a main rule via open calls for proposals, but 7 operations of strategic importance are also being planned where the partnership and the thematic content will be pre-defined by the Monitoring Committee, the bilateral decision-making body in charge of project selection.

The programme strategy, in line with the ‘Border Orientation Paper’ proposed by the European Commission (EC), has identified the following thematic fields which should be targeted, these have become the new Programme’s Priorities:

1.       Competitive Border Region – 9 234 421,00 EUR of EU contribution

Fostering cross-border business cooperation by supporting SME-s in their joint innovation activities and by helping them to reach new markets together. The priority is envisaged to be implemented entirely as a strategic project (a large-scale umbrella project), with non-profit partners from all counties of the border region on one hand and SME-s, to be selected through open calls for proposals, on the other.

2.       Greener and Low-carbon Border Region – 6 684 000,00 EUR of EU contribution

The priority is divided into two Specific Objectives, the funding under both is planned to be distributed mainly through open calls for proposals.

SO1 – Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

SO2 – Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches

3.       Connected Border Region – 10 165 000,00 EUR of EU contribution

To be implemented only through operations of strategic importance, this priority will help to create new road connections across the border at Sárok and Kneževo and at Zákány and Gotalovo, while the building plans of a new road bridge between Murakeresztúr and Kotoriba will also be prepared in partnership of the two sides.

4.       Inclusive Border Region – 16 500 000,00 EUR of EU contribution

This priority also contains two Specific Objectives and also envisages using open calls for proposals mainly to select the operations to be co-financed.

SO1 – Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

SO2 – Improving access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing accessible infrastructure, including by fostering resilience for distance and on-line education and training

5.       Cooperating Border Region – 3 140 825,00 EUR of EU contribution

Making use of two Interreg-specific Objectives, this priority is dedicated to small-scale cooperation between the institutions and civil society organisations of the border region. The majority of the funding is planned to be distributed via open calls for proposals.

ISO1 – Enhance efficient public administration by promoting legal and administrative cooperation and cooperation between citizens, civil society actors and institutions, in particular with a view to resolving legal and other obstacles in border regions

ISO2 – Build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions

The Programme has received the endorsement of the European Commission on 21 March 2024, and as of the first half of 2024, preparations for a first open call for proposals and first steps towards contracting and starting the identified operations of strategic importance are underway. The first Call is expected to be opened in Q3 of 2024, addressing Priorities 2, 4 and 5.

Please find the approved Interreg Programme document and the documents of its Strategic Environmental Assessment on the official website of the HU-HR programmes:

http://www.huhr-cbc.com/en/news/european-commission-approves-2021-2027-interreg-programme/323

For further up-to-date information please also check the Programme’s Facebook profile where the novelties of the 2021-2027 programme will be regularly shared: https://www.facebook.com/huhr.cbc/