Launched in November 2023 during the Interreg Annual event in Santiago de Compostela, the wide consultation of stakeholders and citizens living on Interreg programmes´ areas has come to an end. Despite significant efforts needed to organise such consultations and present their results, more than ¾ of all Interreg programmes submitted the reports so far, and more are yet to come.
Such vast consultation requested by the Commission to the programmes was the first of its kind and unique in the Interreg context. It allows the Commission and the programmes get valuable views and recommendations of people directly impacted by cooperation actions.
The Commission has entrusted an independent expert to summarise the results of the consultations. They will be discussed during the Interreg GO! high-level event in Gorizia-Nova Gorica at the end of March. The results of all consultations, including that of Interreg programmes by Interact and outcomes of the Interreg GO! discussions will be presented in a comprehensive post-2027 Harvesting report, published after the event.
The ideas of the Interreg community, stakeholders and citizens sensitive to the cooperation potential will feed into the process of creating the future EU legal rules for Interreg as well as for policy orientations for cooperation.
The reports also represent an exquisite opportunity to connect the Interreg programmes with the local communities they operate in, and promote the programmes. The results should be discussed at the monitoring committees, drawing conclusions from the opinions presented. Some of the recommendations for improvement may be implemented immediately.
Brief
"On November 2023, during the Interreg Annual event in Santiago de Compostela, a wide consultation of stakeholders and citizens living on Interreg programmes' areas was launched. This vast consultation requested by the Commission to the programmes resulted in over three-quarters of all Interreg programmes submitting reports, with more expected to follow." "The reports will be discussed at the Interreg GO! high-level event in Gorizia-Nova Gorica at the end of March and incorporated into a comprehensive post-2027 Harvesting report."
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Purpose
The purpose of this update is to inform stakeholders about the completion of a wide consultation of Interreg programmes’ stakeholders and citizens living on Interreg programme areas, which was launched in November 2023 during the Interreg Annual event in Santiago de Compostela. The consultation aimed to gather valuable views and recommendations from people directly impacted by cooperation actions.
Effects on Industry
The completion of this consultation has significant effects on the Interreg industry, as it allows for a comprehensive understanding of programme implementation, strengths, and areas for improvement. This information will be used to inform future policy orientations for cooperation, including creating EU legal rules for Interreg. Furthermore, the reports represent an opportunity to connect programmes with local communities, promoting the programmes and their benefits. The results may also lead to immediate improvements in some programmes.
Relevant Stakeholders
The stakeholders affected by this update include:
- Interreg programmes: As they will be required to discuss the consultation results at monitoring committees, drawing conclusions from opinions presented.
- Programme beneficiaries: Citizens living on Interreg programme areas and those impacted by cooperation actions will have their views and recommendations considered in future policy orientations and EU legal rules for Interreg.
- Local communities: These stakeholders will benefit from increased awareness of programmes operating within their area, potentially leading to enhanced collaboration and resource utilization.
Next Steps
To comply with this update, Interreg programmes are advised to:
- Submit reports: Programmes should submit the consultation reports as requested by the Commission.
- Discuss results: The results will be discussed during the Interreg GO! high-level event in Gorizia-Nova Gorica at the end of March and later presented in a comprehensive post-2027 Harvesting report.
- Implement recommendations: Some programme improvements may be implemented immediately based on the consultation findings.
Any Other Relevant Information
The ideas and views collected through this consultation will contribute to creating future EU legal rules for Interreg and policy orientations for cooperation, ensuring that programmes better serve their stakeholders’ needs. This process represents a collaborative approach between the Commission, programmes, and local communities to enhance programme effectiveness and efficiency.
