Europe, Let’s Cooperate!

On 22nd and 23rd March, around 500 participants from all over Europe met in Malta to discuss cooperation opportunities under the Interreg Europe Programme.

The main aim of this international forum was to provide infor- mation on the modalities of the third call for project proposals under the Programme, which is currently open, as well as encourage networking amongst the participants, who had the opportunity to meet potential partners and to join partnerships under this call.

This event, which was opened by Ian Borg, Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds, as well as other speakers, including Dr Joanna Drake, Deputy Director General within the General Directorate for the Environment at the European Commission and representatives of the Programme Authorities.

Four site visits organised by the Maltese National Authority in collaboration with the Maltese partners which are currently participating in the Interreg Europe Programme were also held during this event, namely a visit to the Maghtab Environmental Complex in connection with the Cocoon project, a visit to Malta Enterprise and the Malta Life Science Park in relation to the Relos project and the InnovaFoster project respectively as well as a visit to Transport Malta focusing on the Port-pvev project and the Prometeus project.

All the projects mentioned above are currently being financed under the Interreg Europe Programme with the exception of the Portpvev project which was financed under the Italia-Malta 2007-2013 Programme.

With specific reference to the Interreg Europe Programme, the FPD would like to inform interested partners that the 3rd call for applications is currently open. Applications should focus on the following specific objectives and should reach the Programme’s Secretariat by 30th June at noon: a. Strengthening research, technological development and innovation; b. Enhancing the competitiveness

of SMEs; c. Supporting the shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors and d. Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency. Locally, the Interreg Europe Programme is coordinated by the Territorial Cooperation Unit within the Funds and Programmes Division, MEAIM. Further information on the Interreg Europe Programme may be accessed from the FPD’s website http://eufunds.gov.mt/ or the Programme website http://www.interregeurope.eu/ as well as by phone on 2200 1142 or email to territorialcoop.fpd@gov.mt .