The #futureEstLat is on its way!
In January 2019, the national responsible authorities of Estonia (Ministry of Finance) and Latvia (the Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Regional Development) agreed to initiate the programming process of the Interreg VI-A – Estonia-Latvia Programme 2021-2027. Throughout 2019 the task force - representatives of the national responsible authorities, the managing authority and the joint secretariat - carried out preparatory activities and discussions for launching the programming in 2020.
Now the main engine for the programming is the Joint Programming Committee (JPC) - a body that includes the representatives of the ministries and regions of both countries, responsible for the programming and related decisions.
The JPC has gathered three times in 2020 to agree on the procedures and discuss the thematic focus of the new programme. In addition, the JPC has decided that the State Shared Service Centre (Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus) will continue as managing authority for the new programme 2021-2027.
As for the thematic concentration, the European Commission has provided a limited list of Policy Objectives (PO-s) and Specific Objectives (SO-s) that the programme can choose from to build its strategy.
So far the JPC has agreed on the following PO-s and SO-s:
PO1 - A smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation
PO1 (iii) enhancing growth and competitiveness of SMEs.
PO2 - A greener, low-carbon Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate adaptation and risk prevention and management
PO2 (vii) enhancing biodiversity, green infrastructure in the urban environment, and reducing pollution.
PO3 - A more connected Europe by enhancing mobility and regional ICT connectivity
PO3 (iii) developing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility.
Interreg Specific Objective 1 - A better Interreg governance
SO (i) enhance the institutional capacity of public authorities, in particular those mandated to manage a specific territory, and of stakeholders.
SO (ii) enhance efficient public administration by promoting legal and administrative cooperation and cooperation between citizens, civil society actors and institutions, in particular, with a view to resolving legal and other obstacles in border regions.
SO (iii) build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions.
Please note that the JPC has not concluded the list of topics, the discussions continue.
We will keep you up to date of the process in this section of our webpage, you are much welcome to revisit. In case you have questions, please contact the head of the joint secretariat, Helena Järviste: helena.jarviste@estlat.eu, GSM: (372) 528 1971