INTERREG Atlantic Area supports transnational cooperation projects in 37 Atlantic regions of five countries: France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, contributing to the achievement of economic, social and territorial cohesion.
The Programme overall objective is to implement solutions to answer to regional challenges in the fields of innovation, resource efficiency, environment and cultural assets, supporting regional development and sustainable growth. Under the first call of the Atlantic Area Programme, a total of 45 projects were approved accounting for 66% of the overall budget. Irish partners were involved in 42 of the 45 approved projects and the total approved ERDF grant aid to the 90 Irish partners is €12.226m.
The Atlantic Area programme consists of four Priority Axes and associated objectives – projects must fall under these categories if they are to be eligible for consideration:
- Stimulating innovation and competitiveness (EUR 62.8 million)
- Enhancing innovation capacity through cooperation to foster competitiveness
- Strengthening the transfer of innovation results to facilitate the emergence of new products, services and processes.
- Fostering resource efficiency (EUR 39.6 million)
- Fostering renewable energies and energy efficiency
- Fostering green growth, eco-innovation and environmental efficiency
- Strengthening the territory’s resilience to risks of natural, climate and human origin (EUR 20.3 million)
- Strengthening risk management systems
- Enhancing biodiversity and the natural and cultural assets (EUR 52.6 million)
- Improving the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems’ services
- Enhancing natural and cultural assets to stimulate economic development
Further details on the Atlantic Area Programme are available on http://www.atlanticarea.eu/
