Interreg Baltic Sea Region is an EU funding programme that facilitates transnational cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region. It has been offering funding for transnational projects since 1997. At the moment it is one of the financing mechanisms of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). The Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020 “supports integrated territorial development and cooperation for a more innovative, better accessible and sustainable Baltic Sea region”. Recently, 35 projects contributing to the priorities of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020 – capacity for innovation, efficient management of natural resources and sustainable transport – were approved by the programme. Altogether, EUR 90 million were allocated to these projects. The projects are hosted by authorities from local, regional and national levels, research and training institutions, sectoral agencies and associations, NGOs and enterprises from around the Baltic Sea. The list of the projects can be found on the project webpage of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region.

The Interreg Baltic Sea Region funding is mainly directed at public authorities, research and training institutions, NGOs, sectoral agencies and associations, and enterprises. How could you, as an expert on the Baltic Sea region, possibly benefit from this funding opportunity in future? That is something worth thinking about – good ideas will always fly.