The main activities during the core phase will relate to the following: - exchange of experience - pilot actions (if relevant). The exchange of experience between partners (also called ‘interregional learning process’) is the main catalyst for generating the expected policy improvement in the participating regions. The typical activities related to this learning process will include seminars, workshops, site visits, staff exchanges, and peer reviews. The learning process is based on the identification, analysis, and exchange of policy knowledge and practice from the participating regions in the policy field tackled by the project.

The activities are the basis of the exchange of experience and can include: • joint thematic surveys / studies / analysis • interregional study visits • interregional thematic seminars / workshops • interregional peer-reviews • interregional staff exchanges • meetings with the stakeholder group (compulsory) • joint pilot actions • participation in the Policy Learning Platform activities • preparation of action plans (compulsory only for regions where no policy improvement is achieved by the end of the core phase).

Projects are welcome to integrate online activities into their strategy whenever possible to minimise their environmental impact. However, this online format cannot fully replace in-person exchange.

There are many ways to organise a successful learning process between partners and there is no ‘one size fits all’ method. The approach may depend, for instance, on the number of partners involved or on the nature of the subject addressed. Experience gained in previous programmes has shown a variety of methods from ‘simple working methods’ based on traditional networking activities, such as thematic seminars, study visits, and staff exchanges, to a more sophisticated approach based on tools such as joint analysis, case studies, peer reviews, or joint pilot actions. As either approach can be successful, Interreg Europe does not impose a specific methodology but, based on experience gained in previous programmes, it recommends making the learning process as simple as possible. At the end of the day, it is up to each interregional cooperation project to propose a strategy that is tailored to the needs of the participating regions and which ensures an efficient learning process between the partners and in the stakeholder groups.

Yes, stakeholder group meetings are compulsory. They should be used to share the lessons learnt from the interregional cooperation activities with the stakeholders and allow them to input their opinions and ideas into the project.

No, an action plan is compulsory only for regions where no policy improvement is achieved by the end of the core phase.

A pilot action is an implementation-related activity dedicated to testing a new approach to public intervention. This is usually the transfer of a successful practice from one region to another, but it can also be a new initiative jointly designed by the project. The ultimate objective of a pilot action is that, when it is successful, it is ultimately integrated into the policy instrument addressed and therefore contributes to improving it. Examples of pilot actions can also be found on the programme website (www.interregeurope.eu).

Pilot actions may be requested as a complement to the exchange of experience activities, but the latter remains the core focus of Interreg Europe projects.

Due to the demanding character of pilot actions, the programme can only authorise a maximum of one pilot action per region per project.

Requests for approval to carry out one or more pilot actions can be made at two moments during project: - At application stage : In the preparation phase of the proposal, the partnership may identify an innovative practice with the potential to be integrated and/or supported under the policy instrument(s) addressed, but which needs to be tested before being rolled out. In such a scenario, the project may include, at application stage, one or more pilot actions. - After the midterm review: The identification of an innovative practice which can be tested in one or several partner regions can also happen during the core phase. In this scenario, the project can request a pilot action in the semester following the midterm review meeting.

Funding will concern implementation-related activities dedicated to testing a new approach to public intervention, or initiatives jointly designed by the project. Thus, only costs incurred and paid by the partners listed in the application form are eligible. This means that a pilot action cannot consist in transferring the project ERDF/Norwegian subsidy to third parties (e.g., through a direct subsidy to an SME). This also means that a voucher scheme is eligible only under the condition that the service provided by the voucher is directly contracted and paid by the Interreg Europe partner. Moreover, any external / third party organisations benefiting from the pilot actions activities must be selected in a fair and transparent way. A pilot action budget usually stands between EUR 40,000 and 120,000 depending on the activities foreseen. It can include costs for equipement and for infrastructure and works. The costs of infrastructure and works are eligible only if they are specifically needed to implement the pilot action. Due to the nature of pilot actions under Interreg Europe, the eligibility of costs for infrastructure and works is usually limited to small scale building materials or labour needed for works .

The Interreg Europe programme has an ERDF budget of EUR 379 million for the 2021-2027 period.

There is not budget allocation per priority. However, 80% of the programme's ERDF budget is devoted to the topics covered under Policy Objective 1 'A smarter Europe'; Policy Objective 2 'A greener Europe' and certain topics covered under Policy Objective 4 'A more social Europe'. The remaining 20% are available for the topics covered under the three remaining Policy Objectives.

Budget amounts can be reallocated from one cost category to another, and the budget of a cost category can be exceeded (without a maximum limit) if this is fully justified by a project’s needs and the project’s activities remain in line with the application form. Budget amounts can be re-allocated between partners too. Two types of budget change between partners are possible: 1. A budget reallocation of up to 20% of the total partner budget stated in the latest approved application form (flexibility rule) A partner’s total budget can be exceeded by a maximum of 20 % of the original total amount if this is compensated by an underspend in the budget(s) of other partner(s). This type of budget reallocation does not require the programme’s formal prior approval but must be reported and justified through the progress report. 2. A budget reallocation of over 20% of the total partner budget stated in the latest approved application form A budget reallocation between partners greater than the 20% budget flexibility limit requires a formal approval by the managing authority/ joint secretariat and it must be incorporated in the application form through a request for change procedure (“major budget change”). In principle, a major budget change should happen only once during a project’s lifetime. Budget reallocations between partners and cost categories are possible on the condition that the total amount(s) of ERDF and/or Norwegian funding awarded to a project are not exceeded.

Norwegian partners are ineligible to ERDF but can receive up to 50% from pre-allocated national funds that Norway makes available to support its direct participation in Interreg Europe programme.

Under the Interreg Europe programme, the project activities are co-financed by the ERDF at either 70% or 80% depending on the legal status of the project partner. Public or public equivalent bodies have an 80% co-financing rate while private not for profit bodies have a 70% co-financing rate. The remaining 30% or 20% co-financing must be provided by the partners themselves and it may come from the partners’ own budget or from other sources.

National public co-financing is ensured in certain member states. For more information, please contact your national point of contact (contact details can be found in the country specific information section).

For project partners from EU Member States, project activities are co-financed by the ERDF at either 70% or 80% depending on the legal status of the project partner. The remaining 30% or 20% must be provided by the partners themselves. Partners’ own contributions may come from their own budgets or from other sources. Each partner must make a commitment to provide their own contribution through a declaration.

National, regional or local public authorities; institutions governed by public law and private non-profit bodies based in the 27 EU Member States as well as in Norway and Switzerland are eligible for Interreg Europe funding. Public authorities are generally understood to be national, regional, or local authorities.In order to be considered a public law body / body governed by public law, an organisation must comply with Article 2.4 of Directive 2014/24/EU, according to which: ‘bodies governed by public law’ means bodies that have all the following characteristics: (a) they are established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character; (b) they have legal personality; and (c) they are financed, for the most part, by the State, regional, or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; or are subject to management supervision by those authorities or bodies; or have an administrative, managerial, or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional, or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; […]. In the context of the Interreg Europe programme a private non-profit body must comply with the following criteria: a) they do not have an industrial or commercial character b) they have a legal personality c) they are not financed, for the most part, by the state, regional, or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law; or are not subject to management supervision by those bodies; or not having an administrative, managerial, or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional, or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law. In view of the above criteria, some partner states consider organisations such as cluster organisations, chambers of commerce, business and entrepreneurs’ associations or trade unions to be private non-profit bodies. In Interreg Europe projects, private non-profit bodies cannot take on the role of lead partner. Each partner state is responsible for confirming the legal status of partners located on its territory. If there is any doubt in this respect, applicants should contact their partner state representative directly. Partner state contact details are available on the programme’s website (www.interregeurope.eu/in-my-country).