Regions and cities play a fundamental part in how the EU works. That’s why cohesion amongst each other is essential and why the EU Cohesion Policy is vital in promoting such bonds.
The European Week of Regions and Cities is an annual four-day event promoting regional and local development. The core focus of this week is the EU Cohesion Policy that we mentioned above, and the impact this has on regions and towns across the member states.
Interreg Europe is a series of programmes aimed at stimulating international regional cooperation and growth.
Besiana Ninka is the project manager for the Interreg programme. She said that “big challenges can be tackled only by cooperating together.”
During the three days sessions (10 – 12 / 10) the project manager hosted a presentation of the project in one of the stands of the Agorà. During an interview we had the delight to do, she explained the core values at the basis of the ongoing programmes, and she outlined their main features and purposes.
“The current programme focuses on making Europe closer to citizens and to build trust among them. The priority is to collect all the needs of those citizens in the regions.”
European Commissioner for regional politics Elisa Ferreira stressed the urge to invest in rural areas to give young people the possibility to stay in their country to study and pursue their life, which is the aim of COOP4RURALGOV, one of the projects supported by Interreg.
In particular, COOP4RURALGOV’s purpose is to raise the attention of the legislative bodies in rural areas in matter of regional impact assessment. The expected result is a reduction in inequalities in each country consequently implying a higher guarantee of the rights of the citizens of those areas.
Youth organisations have an important role in collecting and bringing the voices of young people at the centre of the decision-making process, that are then put into practice.
Besiana Ninka stressed the importance of creating the right conditions in rural areas in terms of labour market opportunities and providing young people with an appealing vision for the future so that they can stay.
She also talked about the role digital transition plays in the fulfilment of these objectives.
“We are living in an age where digital platforms and information is spread all over and doesn’t face any borders, and this rapid exchange of data means that the challenges territories are facing can be tackled much more easily.”
She said that the Cohesion Policy is insisting on pursuing this transition as smoothly as possible which would, in theory, improve accessibility.
In a nutshell, Interreg deeply commits to making regions thrive in order to contribute to a stronger Europe. It is one of the most successful projects ever initiated with 87 programmes foreseen for the 2021 – 2027 period: in this moment 258 projects are actively bringing policy changes to their regions (see an overview of the results here).
“All of Interreg’s projects are related to the people, and building trust with the communities is one of the core elements. Many rules are being simplified to make Interreg more accessible, and to provide community with actions that are really needed and to bring Europe closer to its citizens,” said Besiana Ninka.
By Chiara Croci and Elio Bonelli
Edited by Johanna Sahlberg
