INTERREG VI-A SLOVENIA-HUNGARY PROGRAMME

HISTORY OF COOPERATION

The Interreg VI-A Slovenia-Hungary Programme is the continuation of a cooperation process which started in the middle of the 90s under trilateral and bilateral compositions (Austria-Slovenia-Hungary, Slovenia-Hungary-Croatia, and Slovenia-Hungary Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes, and Interreg V-A Slovenia-Hungary Programme). This long tradition of cross-border cooperation programmes resulted in an accumulation of valuable experiences regarding the EU territorial cooperation between the management bodies but also among relevant stakeholders from the two countries, which is taken into consideration by the current 2021-2027 Programme.

PROGRAMME AREA

The territory of the Slovenia-Hungary border region covers 10,627 km2 in total, 2/3rd of the area belongs to the Hungarian, 1/3rd to the Slovenian border region, connected by a border of 102 km in length. In terms of population, it is a region of around 962 thousand inhabitants, 54% of whom live in Hungary and 46% in Slovenia. The programme area is composed of the north-eastern part of Slovenia and the south-western part of Hungary. Geographically the region is characterized mainly by alternating flat and hilly areas.

PROGRAMME BUDGET

The Slovenia-Hungary Interreg Programme is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The total amount of ERDF resources available for the 2021-2027 period for the Programme is EUR 14,109,017.

Projects are co-funded by the European Union up to 80% of the total budget. Each project must have a minimum financial contribution of 20%, consisting of co-financing from the national public funding or own contribution from the applicant.

Potential beneficiaries can apply for two types of projects with the following budget parameters:
•    In the case of standard projects, the projects eligible for participation in the programme shall apply for above EUR 160,000 of ERDF funds for Priority 1, Priority 2 and Priority 3, Specific objective 3.1 and should not apply for more than EUR 1.5 million of ERDF funds for Priority 1 and Priority 2, EUR 350,000 of ERDF for Priority 3, Specific objective 3.1.
•    In the case of small-scale projects (Specific objective 3.12), the projects eligible for participation in this call shall apply for up to EUR 25,000 of ERDF funds.

THE VISION OF THE PROGRAMME

The vision of the cross-border programme is to contribute to an active and cooperating border/programme region aware of its environmental, natural and cultural values, through promoting sustainable utilisation, preservation and exploitation for tourism purposes, setting up a well-identifiable and attractive green tourism destination.

COOPERATION AREA

The Programme addresses the following three priorities:

Priority 1: Green border region

•    Specific objective 1.1: Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Supported projects are expected to result in joint solutions and actions contributing to improvement and maintenance of biodiversity in the border area, improvement in the status of green and blue infrastructure, better quality of the water bodies, reduction of various forms of pollution in the programme area.

Under Priority 1, the Programme currently (May 2024) supports 2 standard projects. More details on the projects can be found at the following link: http://www.si-hu.eu/2127/hu/projects-2/ 

Priority 2: Inclusive border region based on sustainable tourism

•    Specific objective 2.1: Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

Supported natural and cultural tourism-related projects are expected to result in sustainable and harmonized cross-border tourism offers of the region and destination management with higher integration in local economy contributing to increased local tourism income and employment in the programme area.

Under Priority 2, the Programme currently (May 2024) supports 4 standard projects. More details on the projects can be found at the following link: http://www.si-hu.eu/2127/hu/projects-2/ 

Priority 3: Cooperating border region

•    Specific objective 3.1: A better cooperation governance

Legal and administrative cooperation projects are expected to improve knowledge of local decision-makers in various thematic areas; create new bottom-up initiatives for cross-border cooperation; result in better-harmonised planning systems and processes, data collection and assessment methods, commonly identified regional interests and investigation of new development directions.

•    Specific objective 3.2: Build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions

Mutual trust-building projects are expected to generate new links in civil society cooperation in the border region, as well as enhanced individual relationships, a new range of actors involved in a wide variety of events, increased level of mutual understanding resulted by positive experience of cooperation. Trust-building projects are considered of strategic importance and highly contribute to the visibility of the Programme. 

Under Priority 3, the Programme currently (May 2024) supports 5 standard and 11 small-scale projects. More details on the projects can be found at the following link: http://www.si-hu.eu/2127/hu/projects-2/ 

MORE INFORMATION

The Managing Authority operating in Slovenia sets up and manages the Info Points representing the Programme on national, regional and local levels within Hungary.

Website of the programme: http://www.si-hu.eu/2127/