European Territorial Cooperation Programmes (ETC)
Cross-border Cooperation
Cyprus participates in the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme with Greece, with which it shares maritime borders. To the Programme of Cross-Border Cooperation Greece-Cyprus, the Regions of Crete, Northern and Southern Aegean Islands are participating, while Cyprus participates on its whole.
The objective of the Programme is the economic and social development of the cross-border region of cooperation through the enhancement of natural environment protection, adjustment to the climate change and promotion of civilisation, sustainable tourism and social economy. To achieve this objective, projects will be utilised in the context of the following Priorities:
Priority 1: Protection of the natural environment, adjustment to climate change with effective green energy, prevention of risks and elimination of greenhouse gas emissions.
Priority 2: Promotion of socio-economic growth through the enhancement of civilisation, sustainable tourism and social economy.
Priority 3: Greater safety and protection in the entrance region, through the most effective integration of refugees and immigrants.
The total budget of the Programme amounts approximately to €57.5M, of which an amount of approximately €46M derives from the European Fund of Rural Development. The co- fincing rate amounts to 80%.
The Programme beneficiaries are the public bodies including the local authorities, public law bodies and private non-profit bodies.
The Management Authority, which has been designated for this Programme, is the Special Service of Business Programmes Management of the Objective European Territorial Cooperation of the Ministry of Development and Investment in Greece, that is based in Thessaloniki.
Transnational Cooperation
In the Interreg Euro-Med Transnational Cooperation Programme the countries that participate are Cyprus and regions of France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia and Bulgaria.
Other countries that also participate in the programme are Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia with resources of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) of the EU.
The objective of the Programme is the contribution to the transition towards a more neutral climatic and resistant society: the fight against global changes that affect the resources of the Mediterranean, ensuring at the same time a more sustainable development and the well-being of its citizens. To achieve this objective, projects will be utilised under the 3 following Priorities:
Priority 1: Clever Mediterranean
Priority 2: Green Mediterranean
Priority 3: Governance of the Mediterranean
The total budget of the Programme amounts approximately to €294M of which approximately €235M is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Pre-accession Assistance of EU. The co- financing rate amounts to 80%.
Public bodies may participate in the Programme, including the local authorities, public law bodies and private law bodies.
Region of Marseilles, Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur in France, has been designated as the Programme’s Management Authority.
Cyprus participates in this Program along with regions of Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Algeria, Israel, Lebanon, Malta, Jordan and Palestine.
The objective of the Programme is the contribution to the promotion of just and sustainable economic, social and territorial development that might contribute to the cross-border integration and utilisation of regions and values of the countries that participate in the Programme.
The total budget of the Program is considered to rise up to €271.5M of which an amount of approximately €244M concerns the co-funding by the EU. The co- financing rate amounts to 90%.
Public bodies may participate in the Programme, including the local authorities, public law bodies and private law bodies.
The Region of Sardinia in Italy, has been defined as the Programme’s Management Authority.
Interregional Cooperation
In the Interreg Europe – Interregional Cooperation Programme all the 27 EU Member States participate, along with Norway and Switzerland, at a regional and local level. Additionally in 2024, the programme area will be enlarged to 7 new Partner States -EU candidate countries-: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.
The major objective of the Programme is the improvement of the policies implementation of regional development, including the investments for work positions and programmes of development objective by promoting in this way the exchange of experiences, innovative approaches and development capabilities in relation to the definition, transfer and dissemination of good practices among the instruments of regional policy. To achieve this objective, projects will be utilised under the following Priority:
Priority 1: Enhancement of institutional capacities for more effective regional development policies.
It is stated that the projects may cover all the thematic objectives of the Cohesion Policy in the context of the above Pillar.
The total budget of the Programme amounts approximately to €474M of which the amount of €379M derives from the European Regional Development Fund. The co- financing rate amounts to 80% (70% for the private bodies).
The Programme’s beneficiaries are the public bodies including the bodies of local authorities, public law bodies and non-profit private public bodies.
The Region of Lille Nord-Pas de Calais in France has been defined as the Management Authority.
In the URBACT Programme all the 27 EU Member States, as well as Switzerland and Norway, are participating.
The Major objective of the Programme is the promotion of a sustainable urban development by providing the capability of cooperation and networking between the cities in order to find out solutions to major urban issues and also to aid the urban authorities to develop and implement strategies in an integrated and participatory way.
The total budget of the Programme amounts approximately to €100M of which the amount of €80M derives from the European Regional Development Fund. The co- financing rate for the Cypriot beneficiaries is expected to reach the 75%.
The National Authority for the Territorial Cohesion (ANCT) has been defined as the Management Authority.