Interreg III B for the Baltic Sea Region ( ) Interreg IIC/IIIB BSR Secretariat/W.Görmar, October 2001

BSR Interreg III B Programme disposition 1. WHAT IS THE INTERREG III B PROGRAMME ABOUT? - co-operation area and objectives 2. WHAT TOPICS ARE ADDRESSED? - priorities and measures - focus of the programme 3. HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE AVAILABLE? - EU funding and co-financing 4. WHAT PROJECTS WILL BE SELECTED - selection criteria 5. HOW WILL THE PROGRAMME BE MANAGED?

Interreg III B timeframe: Community Initiative Programme (CIP) to Commission 4 December 2000 Approved by EU Commission on: 14 September 2001 Decision on selection criteria and first application round 25 September 2001 Final Approval Programme Complement November/December 2001 First decisions on projects Dec 2001(Next twice a year 1 Apr/1 Oct; Final before 31 Dec 2006; Final expenditure before 31 December Mid-term evaluation before 31 December 2003

map Interreg III B Baltic Sea Region Community Initiative on: Transnational Co-operation on Spatial Planning and Regional Development

co-operation area Denmark, Finland, Sweden: the whole country. Germany: The Federal States (Länder) of Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein and Niedersachsen (only NUTS II area Regierungsbezirk Lüneburg). Belarus: Minsk, Grodno, Brest and Vitebsk provinces. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland: the whole country. Russia: Kaliningrad, St Petersburg surrounded by Leningrad Oblast; the Karelian Republic, Pskov Oblast, Novgorod Oblast and Murmansk Oblast. Norway: the whole country. 11 BSR countries co-operate in Interreg III B

The Programme shall strengthen economic, social and spatial cohesion by focusing on disparities between different territories in order to reach an increased level of BSR integration and to form a sustainable part of Europe: expanding BSR economy and strengthening its position in the global economy increasing level of BSR integration promoting a territorial balance by supporting weak points and building on strong points forming a sustainable part of Europe utilising efficiently the limited resources General objectives

 Initiating actions within established national, regional and local systems laying ground for investments, which contribute to a stronger BSR economy – at least 50% of projects should be able to demonstrate results in that respect;  Enhancing transnationality of actions – at least 2/3 of projects should have financing partners from more than two countries;  Attracting the regional and local level to the programme implementation – at least 2/3 of project partners should be regional and local administrations;  Involving private partners more intensively – at least 10% of co-financing should come from public-like or private institutions;  Enhancing cross-sectoral approach in spatial planning - at least 75% of the projects should have a mixed partnership involving different sectors;  Enhancing more concrete physical outputs, such as small-scale infrastructure investment –between 10 and 20% of programme costs should be dedicated to small scale infrastructure investment;  Intensifying participation of E-BSR countries - at least half of the projects should have financial partners from E-BSR countries and financing from E-BSR partners should reach more than 15% of ERDF budget. Quantified targets

to promote an integrated multi-sector approach to support and further develop a long-term spatial development perspective to create and support transnational co-operation integrating sub- national authorities to support concrete measures focused on overcoming problems and exploiting potentials Operational Goals

BSR Interreg III B GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS …overcoming disparities, such as: EAST-WEST divide NORTH-SOUTH divide North - Eastern German Länder integration Strengthening co-operation with Russia/Kaliningrad Implementation of Northern Dimension Action Plan Incorporation of Barents Region in transnational schemes Further development of SWEBALTCOP/Institution building Strengthening urban regions and more densely populated areas …challenges:

Interreg III B THEMATIC FOCUS Actions for strategic spatial development zones (macro-regions ) Concepts for energy and tourism sector Networking of major Urban Centres and urban-rural partnerships Pan-Baltic intermodal transport strategies and better access to IT Baltic green networks and natural/cultural landscapes as attractive environment for business development Wise management of natural resources (in particular water) Integrated management for coastal zones and islands Institutional building together with CEEC countries

BSR INTERREG III B CIP: PRIORITIES AND MEASURES Priority 1: Promotion of spatial development approaches and actions for specific territories and sectors Measure 1: Supporting preparation and implementation of strategies for macro-regions Measure 2: Promoting sustainable development of specific sectors Measure 3: Strengthening sustainable development of coastal zones, islands and other specific areas Priority 2: Promotion of territorial structures supporting sustainable BSR development Measure 1: Promoting the development of balanced polycentric settlement structures Measure 2: Creating sustainable communication links for improved spatial integration Measure 3: Enhancing good management of cultural and natural heritage and of natural resources Priority 3: Promotion of institution building, strengthening transnational spatial development Priority 4: Technical Assistance to support transnational co-operation

The BSR Interreg III B programme financial allocation Financial allocation to priorities: Priority 1: 30% Promotion of spatial development approaches and actions for specific territories and sectors Priority 2: 50% Promotion of territorial structures supporting sustainable BSR development Priority 3: 14,6% Promotion of institution building, strengthening transnational spatial development Priority 4: 5,4% Technical assistance to support transnational co-operation

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES Transnational spatial development concepts and pilot actions Further investigations, which support preparation of investments Concrete small-scale infrastructure investments Marketing strategies, based on the project results, bridging the planning phase with market-oriented activities …might also form part of projects: Transnational exchange of experience Training of professional staff together with participants from Non-EU states Improvement of information basis

SMALL-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE Examples of such small scale infrastructure might be:  information and innovation centres of transnational importance including soft- and hardware provisions,  ICT networks,  water management,  thematic (tourist) routes,  parts of buildings or building complexes (like entrance premises) information centres for tourist purposes,  booking centres,  demonstration and pilot projects. The programme will not provide any finance for large infrastructure investments.

Interreg III B beneficiaries and co-financing Final beneficiaries (potential partners): public authorities on national, regional, sub-regional and local level research and training institutions, foundations NGOs non profit organisations. ERDF financing maximum up to 75 % for Objective 1 areas up to 50 % for all other areas national co-financing from public or "public-like" sources, in cash or partly in kind.

Interreg III B Financial Plan finances ERDF Denmark, Finland Germany, Sweden (Together 85,4 M€) Norway (12 M€) Phare/ Tacis Others (national, bilateral, Pan-Baltic, private) Baltic Sea Region: 97.1 M€ ERDF in one common pool plus national co-financing (public or public-like) in addition: 24 M€

Interreg III B project selection criteria selection criteria  transnational (three partners, of which at least two should be financial contributors and one a Member State)  sustainable (long-term)  quantified (measurable)  multi-sectoral and territorial  concrete  operational  cost-effective  of appropriate size  (in principle) not longer than three years

Project selection criteria (PC Chapter 3) a) Eligiblility criteria (from the CIP) b) Selection criteria c) General recommendation for project design Appropriate size Appropriate number of partners Appropriate duration

IMPLEMENTATION STRUCTURE  -a joint Monitoring Committee -a joint Steering Committee -a joint programme management structure, performing the functions of the Management Authority, Paying Authority and Joint Secretariat - national sub-committees and other supporting advisory groups INTERREG III B in the BSR IMPLEMENTATION

Project selection will be done by the Steering Committee following open calls for applications to the Joint Secretariat Calls for applications will be launched regularly, at least once in 2001, and twice per year between 2002 and Special attention will be given to co-ordination of calls for application with those for Phare/Tacis instruments. In line with the proactive approach to programme implementation, the Steering Committee may decide on special focus or requirements for individual calls. INTERREG III B in the BSR IMPLEMENTATION

1.Rising awareness and giving information of programme and the PC 2.Encouraging and assisting of promising projects, which help to fulfil the programme objectives 3.Assisting projects in finding innovative approaches, appropriate partners and establishing transnational networks. JS Activities: Collect and publish project ideas (homepage and project catalogues) Establish good and close contacts with national sub-committee secretariats Transnational partner search- and information forums (PSF) Monthly Newsletter Seed money implementation PRO - ACTIVITY ELEMENTS

PROACTIVITY - INPUTS from Ministers responsible for Spatial Planning and Development - Wismar Declaration Based on the priority themes of VASAB 2010 Plus emphasis will be placed on projects in need of transnational cooperation: Fostering cross-sectoral cooperation and pilot actions for all strategic development zones and axes which significantly support integration in the Baltic Sea Region, for example cooperation in the South Baltic Arc, incorporating also the Kaliningrad region, cooperation in the South-western, South-eastern and Central BSR Evaluating and complementing activities on pan-Baltic intermodal transport systems and pan-European Transport Networks from spatial planning and development point of view, taking into account balanced regional structures and environmental impacts, for example railway connections between the Baltic States and Central Europe Enhancing integrated development of coastal zones and islands, extending spatial planning also to off-shore side Promoting transnational thematic cultural routes, for example Route of Brick Gothic, as well as green networks and corridors, ensuring cross-border continuation and better binding together of national green networks.

PROGRAMME COMPLEMENT A further specification of the programme is ensured in the Programme Complement and through active influence on project generation. Also the selection criteria are specified in the Programme Complement. The selection criteria might be specified, completed and further developed by the Monitoring Committee during the implementation process. In the Programme Complement, information on detailed measures including their ex-ante evaluation and quantifying indicators, on categories of final beneficiaries, on financing of each measure (including public co-financing and estimated private contributions) and financing instruments as well as on information and publicity are provided. BSR INTERREG III B CIP- MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Interreg III B information and contacts more info at: