The EU will allocate more than 530 million euros for cross-border cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova for 2021-2027.
In particular, the European Commission approved 4 new Interreg programs with the participation of 10 member states, Ukraine and Moldova for 533 million euros from EU funding in 2021–2027 to develop cross-border and transnational cooperation, accelerate the transition to green technologies and support healthcare and education. These programs will receive additional funding in light of the EC's decision in March to suspend cooperation with Russia and Belarus following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and to transfer the 26.2 million euros originally allocated to them to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova, the European Commission said in a statement. In particular, it is envisaged that 215 million euros will be used for transnational cooperation in the Danube region in the field of innovation and renewable energy sources. The Interreg Danube Region program will invest in cooperation to make the Danube region more innovative and sustainable. It will support green investments to increase the use of renewable energy, improve water management and conserve biodiversity through ecological corridors. It will also invest in joint action to manage the risks associated with climate change. The program will also support an inclusive labor market with a particular focus on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. At the same time, 187 million euros will be allocated for cross-border cooperation between Poland and Ukraine in the field of nature conservation, health and border management. The Interreg NEXT Poland-Ukraine program will invest in climate change adaptation, sustainable water resource management (including the development of sewerage infrastructure) and the protection of nature and biodiversity. This will strengthen regional health facilities, improve access to specialized and emergency care, and support long-term care. The program will also support cooperation between state authorities to improve local governance, including in the area of border management. Herewith, 54 million euros are provided for cross-border cooperation between Romania and Ukraine to improve education, healthcare and nature protection. The Interreg NEXT Romania-Ukraine program will mainly invest in inclusive education (infrastructure, educational plans, partnerships between institutions) and quality healthcare (creation and modernization of emergency services and mobile screening facilities). Investments in climate change adaptation and protection of nature and biodiversity will address common problems such as forest fires, soil erosion, landslides, droughts and floods that damage agricultural land. The program will also support a large network of natural parks and reserves. Meanwhile, it was decided to allocate 77 million euros for cross-border cooperation between Romania and Moldova to improve education, healthcare and nature protection. The Interreg NEXT Romania-Moldova program will invest in disaster risk prevention and resilience. The program will also help preserve biodiversity by promoting the economic development of local communities. The program will invest in education and training (construction or modernization of schools and universities, updating digital equipment). Access to health care will be financed to bridge the disparity between rural and urban healthcare in Romania, and Moldova will receive new high-quality medical equipment. Finally, the program will invest in tourism and culture, improving access to historical sites in the region. According to the European Commission, Interreg is one of the key EU instruments supporting cross-border cooperation. It solves common problems and finds common solutions in the fields of health, environment, research, education, transport, sustainable energy. For 2021–2027 Interreg's total budget is almost 10.1 billion euros and covers 86 programs and 4 areas: cross-border (Interreg A), transnational (Interreg B), interregional (Interreg C) and the integration of remote regions (Interreg D). New Interreg NEXT cooperation programs for 2021–2027 focused on cooperation between the EU and partner countries along the external borders of the EU. Cooperation is carried out in the areas of economic and social development, environmental protection, healthcare, safety and security, communications, support for small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurship. The total amount allocated for Interreg NEXT is 1.1 billion euros.// 02.12.2022 — InfoMarket
