The North West Europe Programme belongs to strand B of the European Community Initiative INTERREG III* which supports transnational co-operation in the field of spatial development between national, regional and local authorities and a wide range of non-governmental organisations.
End objective
The objective is to achieve a more cohesive, balanced and sustainable territorial development in the Community and better territorial integration. The INTERREG IIIB NWE Programme follows up from the INTERREG IIC NWMA (North-Western Metropolitan Area) Programme implemented over 1998-2001.
A substantially increased budget
Between 2000-2006 the Programme will allocate € 330 million of European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) to forward-looking projects in the field of territorial development that contribute to the above-mentioned objective. Two Calls for Proposals will be launched every year during this period. Each call is advertised on this website.
Amongst the 13 INTERREG III B Programmes, North West Europe was allocated the largest budget since its co-operation area covers nearly half the EU population. Seven Member States are participating (Belgium, France, Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK) together with Switzerland.
Five key priorities
Five fields of priority for transnational project activities were identified. Project ideas must fall within the scope of these priorities and measures, and generally attract partners from at least two member states within the co-operation area, since the ultimate aim of INTERREG IIIB is to promote joint solutions to transnational and common issues through transnational co-operation.
For further details on the INTERREG Community Initiative (Strand A, B and C) visit the INFOREGIO Website of the European Commission.
Expected results
The strategic focus of Interreg projects is more attractive metropolitan areas in the global and European context. The expected results are to:
- Initiate a shift in spatial development and economic strategies of metropolitan areas towards a search for complementary functions and co-operative actions
- Increase co-operation among public bodies, service providers and operators
- Improve co-ordination of new development and redevelopment
- Contribute to more efficient use of urban infrastructure and investment
- Initiate significant changes in metropolitan management and planning strategies towards more efficient urban regeneration and regeneration
- Initiate significant changes in metropolitan management and planning strategies towards more sustainable forms of development
- Contains urban expansion in metropolitan fringes
- Favour a more concentrated settlement pattern
- Increase efficiency in the elaboration of a knowledge base on metropolitan systems.
The expected impacts of Interreg projects are:
- Higher level of functional complementarities and increased synergies between the metropolitan areas of NWE
- Increased global competitiveness
- Lowered unnecessary competition
- Stronger development of second- rank metropolitan areas
- Better containment of metropolitan expansion in urban fringes
- Better protection of open spaces in and near metropolitan areas
- Increased quality of life and of the urban fabric in metropolitan areas
For further information on Interreg IIIb, consult www.nweurope.org |
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