Successful event in Thessaloniki about opportunities for Europe after 2027 of EUSAIR and Interreg

Published by Interreg VI-A Greece-Italy 2021-2027 on 11/02/2025

Simpler procedures and more infrastructures and innovative projects are the most expected novelties in the future of Interreg.

Burocracy, lack of communication and language gap are the most common difficulties in cooperation.

Environmental protection and natural resources and economic development, research and innovation are the main topics where cooperation is needed.

Those are some of the insights and develop proposals to shape the future of Europe beyond 2027 discussed during the successfull event “Unlocking Opportunities for Post-2027 Europe, EUSAIR, Interreg, and Cohesion Policy in Joint Action” held in hybrid mode last Friday, 7 February 2025 at the Museum of Byzantine Culture – “Stephanos Dragoumis” in Thessaloniki.

It was the floor to present the “Harvesting Report on Interreg Post-2027” of the consultation with stakeholders and citizens (methodology and survey results) of the Programmes managed by the M.A., including the Interreg Greece-Italy Programme.

The event was organized by the Hellenic Presidency of the EUSAIR (General Secretariat of PA -Ministry of Economy & Finance) and the MA of Interreg 2021-2027.

The event was opened by the important speeches of Ms. A. Zerva, Head of the EYSSAE, Ms. M. Nezeriti, Head of the MA INTERREG 2021-2027, Ms. M. Kostopoulou, Head of Unit A of EYSSAE, as well as Mr. G. Kittel and Ms. H. Sundblad Schaefer (online), responsible for South-East Europe and the EUSAIR team (EU, DG Regio), who reported on the “Results of the Consultation on Cohesion Policy and the Future of Interreg Programmes after 2027“.

Of considerable interest were the presentations on the Methodology and Results of the consultation with stakeholders and citizens on the future of Interreg (Harvesting Report Post 2027) in the context of the three cross-border programmes Interreg Greece-Albania, Interreg Greece-Italy and Interreg Greece-North Macedonia, by the communication officers of the relevant programmes, managed by the MA Interreg 2021-2027, whose countries participate in the EUSAIR.

The contribution to the Adriatic-Ionian Strategy was expressed in a practical way through the presentations of important Interreg projects implemented during the 2014-2020 programming period, within the framework of both the above three programs by the lead beneficiaries and the ADRION program, which is fully aligned with the four Pillars (thematic priorities) of the Adriatic-Ionian Strategy.

In particular, the CheeseCult and ECOfish projects (Interreg Greece-Albania) were presented by Mr. I. Skoufos (Professor of the School of Agriculture of the University of Ioannina), the CoHeN project (Interreg Greece-Italy), Ms. Fr. Georma (Archaeologist of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Aitoloakarnania and Lefkada), the BOPRES project (Interreg Greece-North Macedonia), Ms. P. Christopoulou (Head of the Department of European Projects of Western Macedonia) and the NEORION project (Interreg ADRION), Mr. N. Nikitakos (Professor of the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, Aegean University), while a relevant discussion was developed, coordinated by Ms. K. Themeli, National Contact Point of ADRION.

Other presentations included topics on “The Future of Cohesion Policy – EU Macro-Regional and Sea Basin Strategies” (Ms B. Liepa, Project Manager, Interact, Macro-Regional Strategies, MRS Supporting Programmes), “Research on Cohesion Policy and EUSAIR post-2027” (Ms E. Kos, Head of the strategic project “EUSAIR FACILITY POINT” of the ADRION programme), “The value of citizens’ participation in macro-regional strategies” (Mr M. Barabas, Coordinator of the European Corps Budapest, Danubiana Network), as well as topics related to the EUSAIR Youth Council. The event was closed by Ms M. Konstantopoulou, National Coordinator of EUSAIR in the country.

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Interreg VI-A Greece-Italy 2021-2027

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