When people work together
solutions come easily
Interreg Europe brings people together to find innovative and sustainable solutions.
Research and innovation can boost growth in many sectors. Interreg Europe helped the textile industry in the UK become more sustainable.
Research and innovation can boost growth in many sectors. Interreg Europe helped the textile industr...
SMEs play a vital role in promoting environmental and social change. Social enterprises in particular make sure that all people participate.
SMEs play a vital role in promoting environmental and social change. Social enterprises in particula...
Cultural heritage makes people's lives richer. Historical towns can preserve their beauty with smart waste management.
Cultural heritage makes people's lives richer. Historical towns can preserve their beauty with smart...
Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at its peak. Sustainable transport can cut greenhouse gases and still bring tourists to their destination.
Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at its peak. Sustainable transport can cut greenhouse gases and ...
Fashion goes eco-friendly
In the UK the textile industry found new ideas and solutions among the RESET partners. Now they can reduce the effects of textile production on the environment.
We need to make sure that we know how to minimise the impact on the environment.
Good Practice
Textile Recycling Valley
The Textile Recycling Valley is an initiative in Hauts-de-France which brings different disciplines together to look at innovative ways of reusing textile waste. It also seeks to stimulate the market in recycled textiles. The core partners are local authorities, eco-friendly companies and research facilities.
Textile waste is a problem common to all European countries. The Hauts-de-France initiative demonstrates the value of an interdisciplinary approach to the challenge of circular economy and the benefit of open-minded collaboration in finding economic opportunities for reused textiles.
Good Practice
Centre for nanotechnology
CeNTI is a research and development institute located in Norte region, Portugal. It brings together a multi-disciplinary group of people to share and transfer knowledge in the field of nanotechnology. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, it develops and tests solutions for industries such as textiles, paper, glass, ceramics and wood.
The centre demonstrates the value of having a collaborative approach and a strong financial stability when innovating. By involving a variety of regional stakeholders, they have widened participation in European funding and created a regional ecosystem of applied research and innovation in the interdisciplinary nanotechnology field.
Good Practice
Technopols in Lower Austria
A technopol is an area located close to educational and research facilities where the economic activity is focused on technology and innovation. Key factors are necessary to ensure their success: the existence of research and development activities in the area, higher education facilities, companies in need of innovative technologies and land for new settlement and the construction of special infrastructure.
The technopol in Lower Austria demonstrates how a good methodology can help strengthen the economic potential of special areas and encourage cooperation amongst partners.
No one is left behind
In Sweden social enterprises bring hope to people who have fallen out of society. They build their self-esteem through employment.
It’s not a question of gaining profit … it’s a question of dealing with social issues.
Good Practice
Parents’ House civil franchise
Parents’ House is more than a simple childcare as it guides parents and their children throughout the first important years of their personality development.
At Parents’ Houses, pedagogues of special psychological and sociological education help with their expertise. They are able to recognize and handle upcoming problems and issues in parenting and family relationships. Not only the professional specialists but also the community of parents are there to help other parents by providing solutions for problems.
Good Practice
The Caravan of Ideas
The caravan of ideas is a mobile, bottom-up approach in Örebro County, Sweden, to developing new ideas and solutions in social economy.
A group of advisors from the Partnership for Social Innovation travel around the County, talk to people about their local problems, and channel their ideas for solutions to existing social enterprises or to relevant public bodies for development of new public services. The Partnership is a network of over 30 organisations from different sectors of society, public and private, and with different expertise. They consult the locals on the development of their ideas as well as on the possible financial solutions.
Good Practice
Firstport, an agency for social start-ups
Firstport is Scotland’s development agency for start-up social entrepreneurs and enterprises. It is key delivery partner in Scotland’s social economy ecosystem.
Th agency, a social enterprise itself, distributes seed funding and accelerator support for early stage social enterprises. It provides advice and training, innovation incentives and place-based programmes. It also connects social entrepreneurs to networks, advice, and peer support to develop and implement their business ideas and potential.
Greener trips for tourists
In Bulgaria policymakers found inspiring sustainable solutions for transport between the urban centre and their tourist attractions.
For the first time we made people, the decision makers, ... think about how to travel in a sustainable way.
Good Practice
Zoo Bus Line
The popular local attraction in Miskolc, Hungary, the zoo, is in nearby Bükk mountains outside the city. It is out of the range of existing local transportation network. In 2013, Miskolc launched the ZOO bus line in order to make the access to the attraction simple and economical for the citizens and tourists.
Based on the positive feedback after the launch, MVK Plc., the local public transportation company, has been operating the ZOO bus line on a seasonal basis from spring to autumn. Passengers must notify the dispatcher about their intention to travel on a phone at least 30 minutes before the departure of the bus. The passengers can use the service with the same tickets or season tickets as on any other line in the city.
Good Practice
Reach the beach
Marina di Ravenna and Punta Marina, two beaches around the city of Ravenna in Italy are very difficult to reach during the summer because of traffic congestion.
To reduce traffic and its negative impact on the environment, the municipality has put in place a free bus service to the beaches. It leaves from a large parking lot that holds 800 cars. The parking lot is also free. It is estimated that more than 190 000 people a year are benefiting from this service.
Thanks to this new system, the municipality has transformed the parking spaces along the road into bike paths.
Good Practice
Going by carriage
The city of Byala in Bulgaria has found a greener way of getting tourists from the resorts a few kilometres away to the city centre.
During the high season, the municipality proposes horse-drawn carriages and open-air e-shuttles as a greener transport option between the hotels and the city.
Thanks to a public-private partnership, local entrepreneurs are getting involved and finding work. Where once only taxis and private cars were available, now carriages and e-shuttles also travel the 2-5 km journey between destinations. As a result the number of tourists has increased by 40% since 2014.
Historical cities shine
In Spain heritage cities share new ideas in waste management. They engage all citizens through education and raising their awareness.
We like to share what we have and learn from others.
Good Practice
Painted waste containers
School children paint waste containers in their neighborhood in order to prevent vandalism and raise awareness about waste management in Cordoba.
As a result, the students, their families and the whole neighborhood feel that the waste containers are their own. They are proud of the creative work done by their children and respect the decorated bins. It helps in preventing any damage done to the containers which are needed for waste disposal in the neighborhood.
Good Practice
Albergo Diffuso Ornica
Albergo Diffuso Ornica is a “scattered hotel” in the Orobic Alps in Italy. Run by a local group of women, it offers accommodation and hospitality services in a small mountain village. Instead of one central location, tourists can stay in rooms or buildings located around the town. In addition to being immersed in the local life, guests can sample locally produced food and get a first-hand experience of the local cultural heritage and traditions.
The “scattered hotel” model shows how partially abandoned villages can get a new life by making use of the local resources for new forms of sustainable tourism.
Good Practice
Greener waste collection
WASTESERV included green public procurement criteria in the procurement of waste transport and management services for Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Gozo, Malta. The aim was to improve sustainability of waste management and reduce emissions from the waste collection process.
The new requirements encouraged bidders to upgrade their fleets to cleaner and energy efficient vehicles. As a result, electronic waste like old fridges and freezers can be collected more efficiently, and with lower emissions. Similar approach could well be used for other waste collection services too.
What we do
Interreg Europe helps regional and local governments across Europe to develop and deliver better policy.
With our projects and the Policy Learning Platform, we create an environment and opportunities for sharing solutions and best practices in four topics and across 30 countries.
Regional and local public authorities exchange their experience and inspire each other with new ideas in 258 interregional cooperation projects. They have already developed over 949 regional action plans and improved over 550 public policies and strategies. 1,021 million euros are already set aside for the new ideas, which will make lives in those communities better.
Through the Platform, we offer policy learning services for those outside the projects.
Policies improved
Find out how many regional policy instruments our projects improved in the countries we work with.
Funds influenced
See the amount of Structural Funds and other EU funds our projects have influenced in each country.
Country connections
Our projects work with regions from all across Europe. Explore our vast network of interregional cooperation and see how many links you find.
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