The Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme 2021-2027 was approved by the European Commission on 8th September 2022, thereby the priorities and objectives of the Programme are established. This means that successful projects submitted in the First Call could be approved by the Monitoring Committee, and are now entering the contracting stage. At the same meeting First call main projects were approved and are now entering a contracting stage.
The First Call for Preparatory projects also closed recently, and decisions made towards the end of November. All things considered, throughout 2022 the new Interreg NPA programme reached its cruising speed and is now ready to welcome new project applications in its Second Call.
About the Second Call for projects
The programme is looking to fund projects in all Priorities:
- PRIORITY 1: Strengthening the innovation capacity for resilient and attractive NPA communities
- PRIORITY 2: Strengthening the capacity for climate change adaptation, and resource sufficiency in NPA communities
- PRIORITY 3: Strengthening the organisational capacity among NPA communities to make use of cooperation opportunities
This means that in addition to Main projects under Priorities 1 and 2, it will be possible to participate in a new type of projects called Capacity building projects addressing Priority 3.
Under Priority 1 and 2 Main projects are expected to develop concrete and durable project outputs, leading to a positive impact on the project’s target groups in the Programme area.
The purpose of Priority 3 small-scale projects is to strengthen the organisational capacity among NPA communities to make better use of cooperation opportunities, and by doing so develop more resilient communities. This includes working with natural and cultural heritage to protect, promote and develop these important features for the programme area and developing wider territorial synergies and links to the benefits of the programme area.
In addition, this type of project is aimed at building up cooperation capacity and experience for representatives of specific underrepresented groups (e.g. young people, and indigenous peoples) in the programme area. The ambition is that partners become better suited for engagement in main projects as partners in the future.
In the second call, project applications addressing the development and transfer of capacity building concepts to engage young people in cooperation are of particular interest
Please visit the Second Call for projects webpage to access the Terms of Reference and Application pack.
Where to get support
The Joint Secretariat is hosting a series of online events to support project and partnership development. Please visit the Event section to learn more and sign up.
If you are interested in applying, we recommend that you are in touch with the Regional Contact Point in your region. Alternatively, you can contact Christopher Parker at the Programme Secretariat, christopher.parker{at}interreg-npa.eu.