Central Europe programme
What is the CENTRAL EUROPE programme?
CENTRAL EUROPE is a European Union programme that encourages cooperation among the countries of Central Europe to improve innovation, accessibility and the environment and to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of their cities and regions.
CENTRAL EUROPE invests €231 million to provide funding to transnational cooperation projects involving public and private organisations from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
The programme is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and runs from 2007 to 2013. Interested partnerships are invited to propose their projects following public calls for proposals, which will be widely publicised.
What are the programme priorities?
How does it work? What can be funded?
Which regions are covered?
Who is in charge?
What are the programme priorities?
CENTRAL EUROPE provides funding for cooperation projects covering four thematic areas:
Priority 1: Facilitating innovation across Central Europe
Projects under this priority will aim at improving the climate for innovation in all regions and enabling them to make better use of their innovation potential. They will create favourable framework conditions for innovation and build up capabilities for the effective transfer and application of innovation. They will also foster knowledge development and help people to obtain the qualifications they need for the knowledge-based economy.
This priority includes the following areas of intervention:
- enhancing the framework for innovation;
- establishing the capacity to diffuse and apply innovation;
- fostering knowledge development.
It is important to note, that, apart from being a programme priority in its own right, innovation is also considered a horizontal goal and requirement for all projects seeking funding from the programme.
Priority 2: Improving accessibility to, and within, Central Europe
Projects under this priority will aim at improving accessibility, a precondition for economic development and a key factor for reducing disparities in the programme area. They will promote information and communication technology-based solutions, as well as non-technological alternative solutions for enhancing access. They will also foster interconnectivity and inter-modality for higher efficiency and reduced volumes of transport across the CENTRAL EUROPE cooperation area.
This priority includes the following areas of intervention:
- improving Central Europe’s interconnectivity;
- developing multi-modal logistics cooperation;
- promoting sustainable and safe mobility;
- promoting information and communication technology, as well as alternative solutions for enhancing access.
Priority 3: Using our environment responsibly
Projects under this priority will aim at more responsible use and better preservation of Central Europe’s environment. They will manage and protect natural resources, support the use of environmentally friendly technologies and reduce the risks and impacts of natural and man-made hazards. They will also support the use of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency.
This priority includes the following areas of intervention:
- developing a high-quality environment by managing and protecting natural resources and heritage;
- reducing the risks and impacts of natural and man-made hazards;
- supporting renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency;
- supporting environmentally friendly technologies and activities.
Priority 4: Enhancing competitiveness and attractiveness of cities and regions
Projects under this priority will aim at improving the quality of life in cities and regions and will promote sustainable urban development. They will support polycentric development to avoid disparities within urban areas that are due to social and spatial segregation, and they will address demographic and social change, as well as the protection, preservation and exploitation of cultural resources.
This priority includes the following areas of intervention:
- developing polycentric settlement structures and territorial cooperation;
- addressing the territorial effects of demographic and social change;
- capitalising on cultural resources, to make cities and regions more attractive.
How does it work?
CENTRAL EUROPE invites national, regional and local actors from the public and private sector to propose projects and apply for programme funds. Following these calls, the submitted project proposals will be assessed. CENTRAL EUROPE Member State representatives will select the projects that, based on the quality of the submitted documentation, promise to deliver the best results.
The programme makes €231 million in ERDF funds (European Regional Development Fund) available for eligible expenditure by lead partners and project partners. Project partners can be co-financed up to 85 percent, depending on their country of origin and on whether they are engaged in an economic activity or not. Partners will have to match the project budget with some of their own funds. Projects can have a total budget ranging of €1-5 million. In exceptional cases, smaller or larger projects can also be funded. Calls for proposals are announced on this programme website.
The first two public calls, open for project proposals within all four programme priorities, were launched beginning of 2008 and 2009. Information about new calls will be published as soon as available.