What is new compared with Interreg IIA in Southern Finland Coastal Zone (1995-1999)?

1. Joint Programme for Cross-border Co-operation between Southern Finland Coastal Zone and Estonia in 2001-2006

3. What is new compared with Interreg IIA in Southern Finland Coastal Zone (1995-1999)? • emphases on cross-border effects and equal partnership • Estonia as a programme area • Joint Programme Document of Southern Finland Coastal Zone Interreg IIIA / Estonia Phare CBC providing a common framework for the two programme instruments • Phare CBC programme instrument is developing • Regional Council of Southwest Finland as management and paying authority of the Interreg programme

4. SFCZ Interreg IIA and IIIA Interreg IIA • programme period 1995-99 • 148 projects • total funding app. € 21.9 million and EU funding (ERDF, ESF, EAGGF) € 6.1 million Interreg IIIA • programme period 2001-06 • total funding app. € 31.4 million whereof EU funding (ERDF) € 14.1 million • indicative allocations for corresponding Phare CBC funding in Estonia

5. What is characteristic for the programme area? • maritime border and external border of EU • Estonia as an EU candidate country; expected cross-border effects of free movement of people, goods, services and capital • common neighbour, Russia • traditions in contacts and interaction across the gulf • two capitals, Helsinki and Tallinn, and dense connections there between (app. 6 million travels per year) • gap in living standards • prospects of information society • location in relation to Scandinavian, Russian and Baltic Sea markets

6. Vision: The programme area is part of the strengthening Baltic Sea economic region, and gains from its location on the internal border of EU. The programme area is characterised with balanced economic development that reflects to the well-being of people and environment. There is a well-functioning co-operation on different levels and sectors of activities within the programme area.

7. Strategy: The common vision is approached by the strategy of assisting Estonia integrating to EU, encouraging and strengthening networks and co-operation links within the programme area, creating good preconditions for balanced regional development, employment and competitiveness, as well as protecting and improving the ecological bases of activities, the common environment.

8. Joint Co-operation Programme Priority 1. Interaction and Networks (26%) 1.1 Networks of Local and Regional Administration 1.2 Social Interaction and Contacts within Local and Regional Level Priority 2. Employment and Competitiveness (38%) 2.1 Expertise and Know-how 2.2 Operative Environment of Enterprises 2.3 Tourism 2.4 Transport, Communication and Development of Interlinked Services Priority 3. Common Environment (28%) 3.1 Co-operation in Environment Protection and Monitoring 3.2 Co-operation in Improving Environment

9. Priority 1. Interaction and Networks Objective of this priority is to create and strengthen the co-operation contacts and networks on different levels and sectors of activity. Networks across the border are a prerequisite for realising a balanced development in the programme area. • Networks of Local and Regional Administration • Social Interaction and Contacts within Local and Regional Level

10. Priority 2. Employment and Competitiveness Objective of this priority is to strengthen the programme area as a market area and improve the preconditions for employment and competitiveness. • Expertise and Know-how • Operative Environment of Enterprises • Tourism • Transport, Communication and Development of Interlinked Services

11. Priority 3. Common Environment Objective of this priority is to protect and improve the common environment: to secure the ecological bases of the programme area and preserve its valuable cultural environment. • Co-operation in Environment Protection and Monitoring • Co-operation in Improving Environment

12. Southern Finland Coastal Zone Interreg IIIA financing 2001-2006 (€ million)

13. National co-financing in Interreg IIIA: • Regional Councils (Min.Interior), • State Provincial Offices, Dpt. for Education and Culture (Min.Education), • Employment and Economic Development Centres (Min.Trade and Industry, Min.Labour, Min.Agriculture and Forestry), • Regional Environment Centres (Min.Environment), • Finnish Maritime Administration (Min.Transport and Communications) • Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (Min.Social Affairs and Health). Also local participation (municipalities) is national co-financing.

14. Eligible organisations Eligible organisations for financing from Interreg IIIA program are, for example: • municipalities and intermunicipal corporations • authorities • NGOs • private enterprises • education and training units • research and development units

15. Decision-making Process in Interreg IIIA

16. Payment Process in Interreg IIIA

17. Programme’s operating principles are: • to create and develop networks of co-operation within the programme area • to improve project planning and management know-how • to exchange information and expertise between the border regions • to fulfil the principles of sustainable development • to base on economically sound and viable bases • to have long-term effects and to create bases for long-term co-operation • to create positive environmental impacts • to support accession of Estonia to the EU

18. Programme Technical Secretariat SFCZ Interreg IIIA Programme Secretariat Regional Council of Southwest Finland, Turku, Finland Phare CBC Programme Officers Tallinn, Estonia

19. Southern Finland Coastal Zone Interreg IIIA:http://www.varsinais-suomi.fi/etela-suomi_interregEstonia Phare CBC Small Project Fund (SPF):http://www.erda.ee