- 2.3
Territorial cooperation programs
This section is being updated to the new Community Planning 2021-2027.
What you read still refers to 2014-2020 programming, which still retains its relevance for some time.
Approval and launch of new programs require technical time, and not all information is already available.
For more information, follow the news and updates section and the latest content on new programming.
European territorial cooperation is one of the two objectives of the European Union’s Cohesion Policy, implemented through the Structural Funds. The “European territorial cooperation” objective, already present in the previous 2007-2013 programming period, is financed by the ERDF and is also known as “Interreg.”
The territorial cooperation goal
European territorial cooperation promotes collaboration between the territories of different EU member states through the implementation of joint actions in order to solve common problems of the territories involved. In particular, territorial cooperation addresses issues that transcend borders and require the adoption of joint cooperative actions at the transnational level, both for their resolution and to ensure the sustainability of the results achieved over time.
An indirectly managed instrument
European Territorial Cooperation programs fall under the umbrella of indirectly managed instruments and funding. Indeed, management of the funds is delegated to a managing authority identified for each program and generally corresponding to a national or regional entity. As in other indirectly managed programs:
- The managing authority (whose powers extend over the entire supra-regional reference area) is responsible for planning interventions, issuing calls for proposals, providing information on the program, selecting projects and monitoring their implementation;
- Interventions are defined through Cooperation Programs that specifically report (in a structure similar to ROPs and NOPs):
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- priority axes and related investment priorities, which in turn are detailed in specific objectives, types of actions to be supported, expected results and outcome indicators, complemented by a financial plan and an indication of expected timelines;
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- other contextual indications, related to the effectiveness of the actions and the taking up of cross-cutting issues, as well as the references of the institutions involved in the various stages of program implementation.
The three components of European territorial cooperation
European Territorial Cooperation consists of three components, shown below with their financial allocation:
1Cross-border cooperation(Interreg V A)
Purpose: To promote integrated regional development between neighboring regions (land or sea borders) of two member states, or a member state and a third country
Allocation (tot. 60 cooperation programs): €6,598 million + €1,647 million (external coop.)
Programs relevant to the Italian territory
Italy-France Maritime, Italy-France Alcotra, Italy-Switzerland, Italy-Austria, Italy-Slovenia, Italy-Croatia, Greece-Italy, Italy-Malta (internal coop.)
IPA Italy-Albania-Montenegro, ENI Italy-Tunisia, ENI Mediterranean Sea Basin (external co-op.)
Allocation (programs involving Italy): €979 million + €321 million (external coop.)
2Transnational cooperation(Interreg V B)
Purpose: To promote better regional cooperation over larger transnational territories by promoting integrated and shared approaches to common problems
Allocation (tot. 15 cooperation programs): €2,119 million (+ IPA, ENPI and third country funds)
Programs relevant to the Italian territory
Central EuropeMed (Mediterranean)Alpine SpaceAdriatic-Ionian (Adriatic-Ionian)
Allocation (programs involving Italy): €671 million (+ IPA, ENPI and third country funds)
3Interregional cooperation(Interreg V C)
Purpose: To strengthen the effectiveness of cohesion policy by promoting the exchange of experience and best practices across Europe in selected thematic areas
Allocation (tot. 4 cooperation programs): €514 million
Programs relevant to the Italian territory
Urbact III (urban development)Interreg Europe (regional development and “Europe 2020” themes)Espon (development and territorial cohesion)Interact (assistance to managing authorities in territorial cooperation)
Allocation (programs involving Italy): €514 million
Access to territorial cooperation programs depends primarily on the geographical location of participating organizations.
Regional and provincial level eligibility
In the case of Italy, eligibility for internal cross-border cooperation programs varies from Province to Province; eligibility for external cross-border cooperation and transnational cooperation programs varies from Region to Region. In contrast, there are no constraints on interregional cooperation, which covers the entire territory of the Union.
The remainder of this chapter will provide more details regarding individual territorial cooperation programs involving Italian territories, including the eligibility of different regions and provinces.
The reference documents
The data in the above table and much of the information in this chapter are taken from the main reference documents related to European territorial cooperation programs:
- The Regulation on Specific Provisions for ERDF Support to the European Territorial Cooperation Objective.
- Decisions detailing the areas involved in the various European territorial cooperation programs and their financial allocations.
- The Programming Document on European Neighborhood Policy Instrument (ENI) support for European territorial cooperation programs.
The reference regulations require that each cross-border and transnational cooperation program identify up to 4 thematic objectives (among the 11 into which Structural Fund interventions are divided) and focus at least 80 percent of the available resources on these 4 objectives, devoting the remaining 20 percent to supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy in all sectors.
This concentration constraint does not apply to interregional cooperation programs, which already have a greater thematic focus in themselves. In addition to the 11 thematic objectives, territorial cooperation projects can fund others of a more specific nature:
thematic objectives of territorial cooperation
Cross-Border Cooperation
- Joint initiatives for employment, skills and labor mobility and integration of cross-border labor markets.
- social inclusion, anti-poverty and anti-discrimination, equal opportunity and community integration across borders.
- Joint education, training and vocational training programs.
- administrative and instututional strengthening through legal, administrative and citizen-institutional cooperation.
Transnational Cooperation
- Administrative and institutional strengthening through the development and coordination of macroregional and concerning sea basins strategies.
Interregional Cooperation
- administrative and institutional strengthening through:dissemination of good practices and experiences on sustainable urban development and linking urban and rural areas; strengthening territorial cooperation actions; and improving knowledge on the effectiveness of cohesion policies and the achievement of thematic objectives.
Partnership requirements
Submission of a project proposal under territorial cooperation programs requires the establishment of a partnership that includes national, regional and local actors from different countries with expertise in the topic to be addressed; criteria for breadth and geographic variety are detailed by each program. As mentioned earlier, there is a need common to the areas involved, which requires a joint solution at the European level and is in line with the identified intervention priorities. In addition to the above-mentioned criterion of territorial eligibility (by Region or Province), individual cooperation programs and/or calls define the other formal requirements useful for project submission.
As a guide, European territorial cooperation programs provide between 75 percent and 85 percent EU co-financing of total eligible expenditure.
The average duration of the projects is about 36 months, with an average contribution per project between 1 and 2 million euros.
Management structures
The names and main functions of the bodies involved in the management of territorial cooperation programs are listed below.
Managing Authority
Responsible for program management and implementation.
Joint Technical Secretariat
Assistance and operational support, main point of contact with those interested in participating in the program.
Certifying Authority
Management of deposits and payments.
Audit Authority
Program monitoring.
Supervisory Committee
Responsible for the effectiveness and quality of program implementation and co-responsible for project selection.
NCP (National Point of Contact)
Liaison between the national/regional level and the transnational level, decentralized body to turn to for information and assistance.
National Program Committee
Responsible for coordination among regions participating in the program.
Regional Coordination
Regional office in charge that serves as the first point of contact (at the regional level) for information and assistance on the program.
Summary table of internal cross-border cooperation programs involving the Italian territory.
COOP. INLAND CROSS-BORDER: ITALY-FRANCE MARITIME
Managing authority: Tuscany Region
Allocation (ERDF): €169,702,411
Website: www.maritimeit-fr.net
Eligible Italian provinces: Liguria: Genoa, Imperia, La Spezia, Savona; Sardinia: Sassari, Nuoro, Cagliari, Oristano, Olbia-Tempio, Ogliastra, Medio Campidano, Carbonia-Iglesias; Tuscany: Massa-Carrara, Lucca, Pisa, Livorno, Grosseto
Other eligible territories: Departments Alpes-Maritimes, Var, Haute-Corse, Corse du Sud
COOP. INTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ITALY-FRANCE ALCOTRA
Managing authority: Rhône-Alpes Region
Allocation (ERDF): €198,876,285
Website: www.interreg-alcotra.org
Eligible Italian provinces: Piedmont: Turin, Cuneo; Aosta Valley; Liguria: Imperia
Other eligible territories: departments of Haute Savoie, Savoie, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes de Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes
COOP. INTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ITALY-SWITZERLAND
Managing authority: Lombardy Region
Allocation (ERDF): €100,221,466
Website: www.interreg-italiasvizzera.eu
Eligible Italian provinces: Aosta Valley; Lombardy: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Varese, Como, Lecco, Sondrio; Piedmont: Biella, Vercelli, Novara; Bolzano
Other eligible territories: cantons of Ticino, Valais and Grisons
COOP. INTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ITALY-AUSTRIA
Managing authority: Autonomous Province of Bolzano
Allocation (ERDF): €82,238,866
Website: www.interreg.net/it/default.asp
Eligible Italian provinces: Bolzano; Friuli Venezia Giulia: Pordenone, Udine, Gorizia, Trieste; Veneto: Vicenza, Belluno, Treviso
Other eligible territories: Carinthia: Klagenfurt-Villach, Unterkärnten, Oberkärnten; Salzburg: Lungau, Pinzgau-Pongau, Salzburg; Tyrol: Innsbruck, Tiroler Oberland, Tiroler Unterland, Außerfern, Osttirol
COOP. INTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ITALY-SLOVENIA
Managing authority: Friuli Venezia Giulia Region
Allocation (ERDF): €77,929,954
Website: www.ita-slo.eu
Eligible Italian provinces: Friuli Venezia Giulia: Pordenone, Udine, Gorizia, Trieste; Veneto: Venezia
Other eligible territories: the Gorenjska, Goriška, Obalno-Kraška, Osrednjeslovenska and Primorsko-Notranjska regions
COOP. CROSS-BORDER DOMESTIC: ITALY-CROATIA
Managing authority: Veneto Region
Allocation (ERDF): €201,357,220
Website: www.italy-croatia.eu/web/italy-croatia
Eligible Italian provinces: Friuli Venezia Giulia: Pordenone, Udine, Gorizia, Trieste; Veneto: Venice, Rovigo, Padua; Emilia Romagna: Ferrara, Ravenna, Forlì-Cesena, Rimini; Marche: Pesaro and Urbino, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno, Fermo; Abruzzo: Teramo, Pescara, Chieti; Molise: Campobasso; Puglia: Brindisi, Lecce, Foggia, Bari, Barletta-Andria-Trani
Other eligible territories: counties (županija) of Primorsko-goranska, Ličko-Senjska, Zadarska, Šibensko-Kninska, Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Istarska, Dubrovačko-Neretvanska, and Karlovačka
COOP. INTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: GREECE-ITALY
Managing authority: Greek Ministry of Development
Allocation (ERDF): €104,700,362
Website: www.interreg.gr
Eligible Italian provinces: Apulia: Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, Taranto, Foggia, Barletta Andria Trani
Other eligible territories: western Greek regions, Ionian Islands and Epirus
COOP. INTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ITALY-MALTA
Managing authority: Sicily Region
Allocation (ERDF): €43,952,171
Website: www.italiamalta.eu
Eligible Italian provinces: Sicily: Trapani, Palermo, Messina, Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Enna, Catania, Ragusa, Syracuse
Other eligible territories: Malta
Summary table of external cross-border cooperation programs involving the Italian territory.
COOP. EXTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: IPA ITALY-ALBANIA-MONTENEGRO
Managing authority: Apulia Region
Allocation (ERDF+IPA/ENI): €78,801,422
Website: www.europuglia.it
Eligible Italian provinces: Apulia, Molise
Other eligible territories: Albania, Montenegro
COOP. EXTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ENI ITALY-TUNISIA
Managing authority:
Allocation (ERDF+IPA/ENI): €33,354,820
Website: www.italietunisie.eu
Eligible Italian provinces: Sicily
Other eligible territories: Gouvernorats de Ariana, Beja, Ben Arous, Bizerte, Jendouba, Manouba, Tunis
COOP. EXTERNAL CROSS-BORDER: ENI MED
Managing authority: Sardinia Region
Allocation (ERDF+IPA/ENI): €209,057,812
Website: www.enicbcmed.eu
Eligible Italian provinces: Liguria, Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sardinia, Sicily
Other eligible territories: France: Corse, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur; Spain: Andalucía, Cataluña, Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia, Islas Baleares, Ceuta, Melilla; Portugal: Algarve; Greece: Anatoliki Makedonia – Thraki, Kentriki Makedonia, Thessalia, Ipeiros, Ionia Nisia, Dytiki Ellada, Sterea Ellada, Peloponnisos, Attiki, Voreio Aigaio, Notio Aigaio, Kriti; Malta; Cyprus; Tunisia: Médenine, Gabès, Sfax, Mahdia, Monastir, Sousse, Nabeul, Ben Arous, Tunis, Ariana, Bizerte, Béja, Jendouba; Egypt: Marsa Matruh, Al Iskandanyah, Al Buhayrah, Kafr ash Shaykh, Ad Daqahliyah, Dumyat, Ash Sharquiyah, Al Isma’iliyah, Bur Sa’id, Shamal Sina’; Jordan: Irbid, Al-Balga, Madaba, Al-Karak, Al-Trafila, Al-Aqaba; Syria: Latakia, Tartous; Lebanon; Israel; Palestine
Summary table of transnational cooperation programs involving the Italian territory.
COOP. TRANSNATIONAL EXTERIOR: ALPINE SPACE
Managing authority: Land of Salzburg (Austria)
Allocation (ERDF): €116,635,466
Website: www.alpine-space.eu
Eligible Italian regions: Piedmont, Aosta Valley ,Lombardy, Liguria, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia
Other eligible territories: France: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Rhone Alps, Franche Compté, Alsace; Austria; Slovenia; Germany: Freiburg, Tubingen, Schwaben, Oberbayern; Switzerland; Liechtenstein
COOP. EXTERNAL TRANSNATIONAL: CENTRAL EUROPE
Managing authority: City of Vienna (Austria)
Allocation (ERDF): €246,581,112
Website: www.interreg-central.eu
Eligible Italian regions: Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Liguria, Lombardy, Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna
Other eligible territories: Austria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Hungary; Poland; Slovakia; Slovenia; Germany: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen
COOP. OUTER TRANSNATIONAL: MED
Managing authority: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region (France)
Allocation (ERDF): €224,322,525 + IPA funds / third countries
Website: http://interreg-med.eu
Eligible Italian regions: Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy, Liguria, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Marche, Umbria, Latium, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Apulia Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia
Other eligible territories: France: Corse, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Rhône-Alpes; Slovenia; Croatia; Greece; Malta; Spain: Andalusia, Aragon, Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Murcia, Valencia, Ceuta, Melilla; Portugal: Algarve, Alentejo, Lisboa; Cyprus; UK: GibraltarParticipants with IPA funds: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro
COOP. EXTERNAL TRANSNATIONAL: ADRIATIC IONIAN
Managing authority: Emilia Romagna Region
Allocation (ERDF): €83,467,729 + IPA funds / third countries
Website: www.adriatic-ionian.eu
Eligible Italian regions: Lombardy, Veneto, Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily
Other eligible territories: Slovenia, Croatia, Greece (all regions)Participants with IPA funds: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia (all regions)
Summary table of interregional cooperation programs.
COOP. INTERREGIONAL: URBACT
Managing authority: French Ministry of Urban Affairs
Allocation (ERDF): €74,301,909
Website: urbact.eu
Eligible Italian Regions: All Regions
Other eligible territories: 28 member states + Switzerland and Norway
COOP. INTERREGIONAL: ESPON
Managing authority: Ministry of Infrastructure of Luxembourg
Allocation (ERDF): €41,377,019
Website: www.espon.eu
Eligible Italian Regions: All Regions
Other eligible territories: 28 member states + Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
COOP. INTERREGIONAL: INTERACT
Managing authority: Bratislava Autonomous Region (Slovakia)
Allocation (ERDF): €39,392,587
Website: www.interact-eu.net
Eligible Italian Regions: All Regions
Other eligible territories: 28 member states + Switzerland and Norway
COOP. INTERREGIONAL: INTERREG EUROPE
Managing authority: Nord-Pas de Calais Region (France)
Allocation (ERDF): €359,326,320
Website: www.interreg4c.eu
Eligible Italian Regions: All Regions
Other eligible territories: 28 member states + Switzerland and Norway