Because neighbours ...

Neighbourhood external cooperation programmes

Tesim

Borders may be obstacles, but also opportunities. Borders may separate, but they can also connect. The external borders across the European Union are an inspiration for people to work together and make the territories on both sides greener, more prosperous, more connected, and more inclusive. The cooperation across the EU external borders aims at improving the living conditions of regional communities, by finding common solutions to common challenges.

INTERREG Next

  • 24 Member States and Partner Countries
  • 7 Interreg NEXT programmes
  • EUR 864 million EU funds
  • Over 2.000 km of 5 land borders
  • 2 sea basins
  • 1 sea crossing
Discover the Interreg NEXT programmes

Fresh from the field

The neighbourhood community unites at the ENI CBC and Interreg NEXT conference

 

A call for cooperation in uncertain times

On September 25, the halls of The Faculty in Brussels filled with participants from across Europe and neighbouring countries, eager to share, learn and celebrate the work done under the ENI CBC and Interreg NEXT programmes. Titled “Neighbours in Cooperation,” the conference gathered this diverse community, united in the spirit of cross-border cooperation, to explore the progress and impacts of the programmes.

Mediterranean’s got talent! Empowering youth with blue and green skills

Youth unemployment in the Mediterranean is a pressing issue, but recent initiatives show promise for change. At the European Week of Regions and Cities 2024, the Interreg NEXT Med programme hosted a dynamic workshop dedicated to empowering the region’s youth. In partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye – celebrating two decades of involvement in territorial cooperation under Interreg – experts gathered to discuss how EU-funded projects are equipping young people with essential skills for the blue and green sectors, areas increasingly recognised for their potential to drive both economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Empowering youth and women with green jobs

Imagine turning everyday scraps into rich soil and new job opportunities. Composting does just that, transforming organic matter into valuable fertilizer and creating a virtuous cycle where training leads to employment and sustainable practices.

Balancing reiteration and innovation: one year in review

How to deal with the unexpected illustrates the diversity of human nature. Some of us would rather be prepared in advance and recognise it when it happens, while others prefer to be taken by surprise and enjoy navigating through it. After eight years supporting the neighbourhood territorial cooperation community, deep in TESIM hearts we expected our mandate to be continued as from 1 April 2023. One year later, can we conclude that everything that has happened since then was fully predictable?

The closure templates presented to 90 programme representatives

The meeting on closure organised by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and TESIM on 29 May 2024 marked a significant milestone in the closure process of the ENI Cross-Border Cooperation (ENI CBC) programmes for the 2014-2020 period. It gathered more than 90 programme representatives who learned about the templates for the final programme report and had the opportunity to receive answers to their questions submitted prior to the meeting, as well as those raised during the meeting.

Inside laboratories, turning crab shells into food additives

When research and innovation transform sources of pollution into sustainable opportunities! ARIBiotech, funded by the ENI CBC Italy-Tunisia programme, is converting seafood waste and dredging sediments into organic packaging and dietary supplements. But where does this begin? Fish processing industries generate significant waste — heads, tails, fins, scales, bones, etc. — making up to 60% of the fish’s weight. This waste is often discarded at sea, harming ecosystems and harbours. Research shows we can reduce these negative impacts by choosing better dumping sites, finding alternative disposal methods, or turning waste into useful products. ARIBiotech chose the latter by asking themselves: How can we turn marine waste into usable products and how can entrepreneurs benefit from such scientific findings to boost the region’s economy?

One week to build project development skills

External border regions hungry for cooperation; potential project applicants from Partner Countries are impatient to know more, to learn, to understand. TESIM’s first four Capacity Building Weeks have come to an end, but given the high number of requests for participation that could not be met, more are planned for the near future.  The sign comes straight from the regions: territorial cooperation is seen as a great way to exploit the untapped growth potential in border areas, with the view to achieving a higher degree of territorial integration.

Latvia: transforming handicrafts from hobby to source of income

LATVIA – Latgale, the easternmost region of Latvia, is known for its rich cultural heritage and the vibrancy of crafts tradition. Trades such as pottery, woodworking, stone-cutting, knitting, and weaving continue to flourish here alongside the new forms of craftsmanship, like glass decor, porcelain, production of cosmetic products, demonstrating the evolution of traditions in response to contemporary influences and market demands. The region, sharing borders with Russia and Belarus, has developed these trades through generations, making it an integral part of its cultural identity. Crafts in Latgale are not only a way of preserving traditional customs but also a means of fostering community engagement and socio-economic activity, contributing significantly to local development.

What to do with all that waste? From grapes to beauty products

TUNISIA – Grapes, the jewels of the vineyards, yield at global level approximately 74 million tons of wine each year. Yet, alongside the production of wine comes a significant by-product: pomace — a mix of peels, seeds, and stems. Typically, this pomace meets one of two fates: animal feed or open-air fertilizer at best. However, recent research reveals a hidden treasure trove within this waste. Bursting with bioactive substances like antioxidants, pomace possesses benefits ranging from anti-aging to anti-cancer properties. The ENI CBC BESTMEDGRAPE project, spanning the Mediterranean from north to south, capitalizes on this untapped resource, blending knowledge, tradition, and innovation to empower both the grape sector and creative entrepreneurs.

Next Programmes

Seven Interreg NEXT (Neighbourhood External) programmes have been approved in 2022, for a total envelope of 864 million EUR. Five of them involve Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, highlighting the key role of the Eastern partners in facing the consequences of the Russian aggression. Cooperation in the South remains also a priority for the Union.

ENI CBC Programmes

A total of 16 programmes will be implemented under ENI CBC. They cover 12 land borders, one sea crossing and three sea basins, stretching from Finland and Russia in the north, to countries like Hungary and the Ukraine in the east, and Italy, Northern Africa and the Middle East in the south.
Here you will find news and information on each programme, including the programme strategy and participating countries.

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6 days ago

✅ The #enicbc closure process is in motion, auditors fully ready;✅ The audits for #InterregNEXT programmes have started, first improvements have been suggested by the auditors;✅ Coordination between the Audit Authorities/Groups of Auditors will allow to cut red tape and avoid duplicating audit work.Yesterday and today the networking event has gathered over 30 auditors from #enicbc and #InterregNEXT programmes, as well as EU REGIO Interreg representatives in 🇹🇷Istanbul. The two days, full of intensive discussions and exchanges, were useful to coordinate the approaches and improve the efficiency of the auditors' workInterreg NEXT Romania-UkraineraProgramme Italie Tunisie IEV CTEInterreg NEXT Romania-Republica MoldovalInterreg NEXT MED ProgrammerBlack Sea Basin CBCnInterreg NEXT Poland - UkrainerInterreg VI A NEXT Hungary Slovakia Romania UkrainerCross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020-T.C. Hazine ve Maliye Bakanlığınlığı ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

❓What would happen if #InterregNEXT programmes did not exist? This is the question that representatives of the Interreg VI A NEXT Hungary Slovakia Romania Ukraine, Interreg NEXT Poland - Ukraine, Interreg NEXT Romania-Republica Moldova and Black Sea Basin CBC Programmes tried to answer yesterday in Bucharest. The Territorial Impact Assessment workshop organised by #tesim in cooperation with ESPON and led by the experts of the Austrian Institute for Spatial Planning - OIR showed how period after period these programmes have enabled positive change in the bordering areas between the #Eu and its neighbouring countries 🇺🇦Ukraine and the 🇲🇩Republic of Moldova. They have also helped to build dense networks that would not exist otherwise and provide a quick access to funding for essential physical investments in many different fields - notably in: ⚕️ health🚧 border-crossing efficiency 🌪️disaster management. 📊 This workshop represents an additional effort in the discussion about the future of #Interreg, combining expert input and available statistical data on key indicators, both for Member States and Partner Countries. A report summarizing the findings will be issued towards the end of the year. (Graphic sources: draft ÖIR calculations based on keep.eu data) ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

📅 One week left to submit ideas and proposals on the future of the Interreg NEXT Poland - Ukraine Programme. 📥The citizens and organisations from the cross-border area can have their say by filling in the survey before 𝟑𝟏 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 👇𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 – 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗦❗ 🇪🇺🇵🇱🇺🇦We are excited to receive more and more voices from you on the future cross-border cooperation programme. 𝟲𝟬𝟳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 to our survey are onboard! The deadline for submission of consultation questionnaires is 𝟯𝟭/𝟭𝟬!⏳ Please continue to share the surveys so that as many people as possible could influence the future of the Programme beyond 2027! 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀:🇵🇱👉https://tiny.pl/djc7m🇺🇦👉https://tiny.pl/dkfjc𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀/𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 🇪🇺👉https://tiny.pl/djcts🇵🇱👉https://tiny.pl/dkfjq🇺🇦👉https://tiny.pl/dkfjg𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:🇪🇺👉https://pl-ua.eu/en/news/3328🇵🇱👉https://pl-ua.eu/pl/news/3325🇺🇦👉https://pl-ua.eu/ua/news/3329#EU #funds #InterregNEXT #Interreg #CBC #Programme #PL_UA #PLUA ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

👏 #InterregNEXT #IVYS👋Welcoming Alicia: Our first-ever Interreg Volunteer Youth - IVY 🇪🇺, on a mission to empower Mediterranean youth cooperation!🌊“I hope to make the programme more accessible and empowering for Mediterranean youth, who I believe to be a central component of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and a driving force for positive change”- says Alicia🔗For more details check our website www.interregnextmed.eu/welcoming-alicia-our-first-ever-interreg-volunteer-youth-on-a-mission-to-e... Europe in my region EU REGIO Interreg Interreg TESIM NEXT EU Neighbours South ... See MoreSee Less
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