Priority 4: Improving governance
for cooperation in central Europe
Central Europe shares a common identity based on longstanding cultural and historical ties. This is an intangible but crucial asset for addressing challenges in a cooperative way. Despite many functional connections, our regions and cities are rather heterogeneous in socio-economic and territorial terms. The area faces numerous challenges and barriers for regional development that do not stop at borders or administrative units.
SO 4.1: Strengthening governance for integrated territorial development in central Europe
Why we fund this
Central Europe is highly heterogeneous both in territorial as well as in socio-economic terms. A multitude of challenges and barriers hinders the economic, social and territorial development in central Europe, which are not necessarily bound to specific administrative units. They rather relate to areas with functional ties that are characterised by economic, social, and environmental linkages.
Addressing these territorial development challenges calls for integrated multi-level and multi-sectoral governance processes that consider functional linkages at the territorial level. There is a need to improve capacities of public authorities on all territorial levels for setting up and implementing integrated territorial development strategies. Cooperation should be encouraged within and between territories that are sharing functional ties.
Potential fields to be addressed by project proposals
→ Reduction of administrative barriers, better policymaking & cooperation beyond borders
→ Multi-level & multi-sector governance among areas with functional ties beyond borders
→ Digital governance
→ Participatory decision-making processes (e.g. citizen involvement)
→ Integrated territorial development strategies, e.g. addressing demographic change, public services of general interest (such as health, education, social services) and tourism and culture
Need support?
Do not hesitate to contact our helpdesk@interreg-central.eu if you have questions about this specific objective.
Funded projects
In December 2022, we selected 53 new transnational cooperation projects with a budget of nearly 100 million EUR from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Six of these projects are cooperating to make central Europe more integrated and better governed.