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Setting regions in motion by Giedrė Švedienė, Undersecretary Joint Programming Committee/Ministry of the Interior, Lithuania. The Baltic Sea Region. Did you know that… programme’s area covers approx. 2.4 million km² - almost half of the EU population of 110 million amounts to 23% of EU
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Setting regions in motion by Giedrė Švedienė, Undersecretary Joint Programming Committee/Ministry of the Interior, Lithuania
The Baltic Sea Region. Did you know that… • programme’s area covers approx. 2.4 million km² - almost half of the EU • population of 110 million amounts to 23% of EU • average population density is about 46 inhabitants/km (EU 112) • aggregated GDP is about 16% of the EU Setting regions in motion
We did it together 11 states, represented in the Joint Programming Committee, prepared and endorsed the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 Setting regions in motion
Identity of the new programme • a mainstream Structural Funds programme for the Baltic Sea Region (Objective 3 programme on Territorial Cooperation) • built on two preceding Community Initiative programmes (Baltic Sea INTERREG IIC & III B NP) • addresses issues that call for intervention at transnational level Setting regions in motion
Context of the new programme • considerable differences between the West and East • common development challenges, e.g.: • concentration of knowledge-intensive activities in and around capitals and metropolitan regions, • growth in road transport, • safety at sea, • pollution of Baltic Sea waters, • energy efficiency. Setting regions in motion
Strategic objective and priorities 1. Fostering innovations 3. Baltic Sea as a common resource To strengthen the development towards a sustainable, competitive and territorially integrated Baltic Sea Region by connecting potentials over the borders 2. External and internal accessibility 4. Attractive and competitive cities and regions
Eligible area of the programme • EU Member States: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and northern parts of Germany • Norway • north-west regions of Russia • Belarus Setting regions in motion
Who can apply? • Public authorities from national, regional and local levels • Public equivalent bodies (e.g. research and training institutions, business development institutions and other non-profit organisations) • Private (commercial) organisations as additional partners with own financing • Within limits, programme funds can be applied for by partners from outside the eligible area. Setting regions in motion
How much money is available? • Slightly more than in the present programme • 208 MEUR from European Regional Development Fund • 22.6 MEUR from European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (new) • - 6 MEUR from Norwegian national funding • Total = 236,6 MEUR • Plus own co-funding from project partners Setting regions in motion
What do we expect from future projects? • principle of transnationality respected • integrated territorial approach to distinguish from sector initiatives • preparation of investments of transnational relevance • emphasis on pre-investment character and pilot investments • development of transferable results better visible than in the present programme Setting regions in motion
Programme launch calendar • March-April 2007 – national approval procedures • May 2007 – submission to the European Commission • 10-11 May 2007, Hamburg – Programme Conference • autumn 2007 – approval by the European Commission • late 2007/early 2008 – first call for project proposals Setting regions in motion
Setting regions in motion by Giedrė Švedienė, Undersecretary Joint Programming Committee/Ministry of the Interior, Lithuania