Baltic Sea Region Phare Cross-Border Co-operation Programme 2001-2006

1. Baltic Sea Region Phare Cross-Border Co-operation Programme 2001-2006 Andžs Ūbelis Secretariat for the Minister for Special Assignment for Co-operation with International Financing Agencies, Latvia

2. Co-operation History • Inter-regional co-operation: ECOS-Ouverture, Baltic Small Project Facilities, bilateral initiatives • Trans-national co-operation: spatial planning activities, Phare CBC large scale projects • Cross-border co-operation on internal borders and on Eastern borders: CREDO

3. Evolution of the BSR CBC Programme 2001-2006 • New Programming period for the EU Structural Funds – 2000-2006 • Introduction of the new pre-accession instruments in the EU candidate countries • Need for closer co-ordination of the instruments available for co-operation • Development of the new Interreg III programmes in the EU member states

4. Aims of the CBC Programme 2001-2006 • To foster greater integration of the Baltic Sea Region and enhance its competitiveness by promoting co-operation in the following areas: • cross-border co-operation on immediate borders, • trans-national co-operation, and • inter-regional co-operation • To act as co-financing source for the Interreg III activities in the Region, as well as to ensure gradual integration of both programmes with a view to future EU enlargement

5. Eligible Activities • Cross-border co-operation: • Investments into cross-border infrastructure, co-operation in the areas of economic development, education, culture and RTD, institution and capacity building, as well as joint planning activities • Trans-national co-operation: • Activities supported under the Baltic Sea Region Interreg IIIB Programme • Inter-regional co-operation: • Wide range of activities – to be co-ordinated with the emerging Interreg IIIC Programme

6. Who Can Apply? • Local and regional authorities • NGOs • Educational, research and cultural institutions • National authorities (only in case of Interreg IIIB co-operation)

7. CBC Programme 2001-2006: Funding I • Total amount of the Programme in 2001 and 2002 – 12M Euro per year, 3M Euro annually for each Phare country • From 2003 – possible increase of allocation to the Programme in line with the latest communication from the European Commission on enhancing cross-border co-operation

8. CBC Programme 2001-2006: Funding II • Two funding schemes*: • Small Project Fund – small scale soft actions (from 20.000 to 50.000 Euro, annual allocation approx 1M Euro per country) • Grant Scheme – large scale activities and investment projects (from 50.000 Euro upwards, annual allocation approx 2M Euro per country) • 5-10% of the Programme’s budget to be allocated for Programme management *with the exception of Estonia

9. Implementation Arrangements • BJCC – overall co-ordination between participating countries and with the Interreg III Programmes, monitoring of the overall implementation • National Steering Committees – decision making on projects to be supported, monitoring of the national implementation • National Programme Secretariats – everyday management of the Programme

10. Current Status with the Programme Approval • Phare Management Committee decision – October 18, 2001 • Next BJCC meeting to take decision on further actions • Development of the Programme Guidelines, Application Forms and Applicant’s Pack • Launch of the Programme – provisionally second half of 2002