EU Funding Conference

On Wednesday 19th April 2023, the Irish Regions European Office (IREO), in conjunction with the three Regional Assemblies of Ireland and the Irish Delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions held an EU funding conference “Connecting, Communicating and Collaborating – Irish Regions Cooperating across the EU: How local authorities can engage in European Programmes”.  

This one-day national conference was attended by over 130 delegates and it aimed to communicate the opportunities for local government to participate in EU funding, particularly in the European Territorial Cooperation programmes, the Horizon Europe Missions and the LIFE programme.

Keynote speaker, Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Programme and Reform noted that “INTERREG and other EU programmes play an important role in supporting the process of creating links, exchanging views, understanding differences, working together, and promoting and maintaining peace”.

Cllr Michael Murphy, Member of Tipperary County Council and Head of the Irish Delegation to the Committee of the Regions called on Government to support a strategy to enhance the engagement of local councils in EU funding, by enhancing the support for the Irish Regions European Office in Brussels and funding an EU officer in each local authority in Ireland.

The conference featured nine different EU funding programmes and concurrent information sessions were held during the afternoon. These sessions informed and guided potential participants through the application process for the Northern Periphery and Artic Programme, the North West Europe Programme, the Atlantic Area programme, the URBACT, the ESPON and the INTERREG Europe programmes.  One to one sessions were also held on several of the Horizon Europe Missions and the LIFE programme for protecting the environment and combatting climate change.

One of the highlights of the day was the launch of the IREO and Regional Assemblies interactive map which provides details of all ETC projects for the 2014 – 2020 period and further details of this map can be found on the Regional Development Monitor website: https://rdm.geohive.ie/pages/our-regions-economy.

Presentations

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Round up of CoR’s 154th Plenary

The Committee of the Regions (CoR) held its 154th plenary session on the 15th and 16th March. The session marked the second plenary of the year and featured several debates on opinions and resolutions as well as a key vote on the CoR’s draft budget for 2024.

Opening the two-day session, CoR President Vasco Alves Cordeiro wished the Irish Delegation a happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Following the formal opening, the plenary began with a debate on harnessing talent in Europe’s Regions, this debate taking place in the context of the European Year of Skills. Other key highlights throughout the day included the CoR opinion on short-term rentals (Airbnbs) and the sustainable use of pesticides.

Day one also saw a crucial debate on the CoR’s draft budget for 2024, which was subsequently approved.

From an Irish perspective the highlight of the first day of the plenary session was Cllr. Aoife Breslin’s contribution to the EU Local Matters debate. Speaking under her proposed topic ‘Encouraging integration at local and regional level’, Cllr. Breslin noted that “it is crucial in order to ensure interaction on a local and regional level that there is engagement with local elected representatives establishing proper communication structures and investment”.

Day two of the March plenary session focused on two opinions, Amending the Directive on Asbestos and the European Media Freedom Act. Following the acceptance of these two opinions and a resolution on Harnessing Talent in the EU the CoR hosted a Cohesion Alliance event.

Speaking during the event, Irish Delegation Member Cllr. Una Power noted the importance of adjusting implementation of the Cohesion policy to our changing needs and political priorities.

The next plenary session will take place in May 2023.

Euro logo reflecting wind turbineEuropean Union, 2015

EU Funding Conference – Connecting, Communicating and Collaborating – Irish Regions Cooperating across the EU

The Irish Regions European Office (IREO), in conjunction with the three Regional Assemblies of Ireland and the Irish Delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions will be hosting an event aimed at accessing EU funding on Wednesday 19th April in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone from 9.15am to 4pm.

The one-day national conference aims to communicate the opportunities for local government to participate in the new round of EU funding, particularly in the European Territorial Cooperation programmes, the Horizon Europe Missions and the LIFE programme.

The conference will inform and guide potential participants through the application process for the Northern Periphery and Artic Programme, the North West Europe Programme, the Atlantic Area programme, the URBACT and the INTERREG Europe programmes.   It will also highlight the new Horizon Europe Missions on research and innovation and the LIFE programme for protecting the environment and combatting climate change.

The event will also showcase how local authorities and regional assemblies in Ireland have been participating in European Territorial Cooperation programmes to the benefit of local citizens and communities across Ireland during the last funding period and launch the interactive map developed by the IREO and the Regional Assemblies.

To register your attendance at the event click here: https://form.jotform.com/230504413707346

Round Up of 153rd CoR Plenary

The Committee of the Regions (CoR) held its 153rd plenary session on 8th and 9th of February. The session marked the year’s first plenary and featured several key opinions and debates.

Following the formal opening of the two-day session, the plenary began with a debate on increasing digital resilience of local and regional authorities across Europe.

A key highlight of day one of the plenary session was the debate on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. This included contributions from Irish MEP Barry Andrews with Members highlighting the role which local and regional authorities play in implementing SDGs in their plans.

Other highlights throughout the day included the CoR opinion on the European Health Data Space, a debate on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and a review of the progress of the Recovery and Resilience Facility which helped drive Europe’s economical recovery from COVID-19.

Day two of the February plenary session saw Irish interventions throughout the day’s debates. Cllr. Kieran McCarthy began the morning by intervening in the European Year of Skills debate in presence of Commissioner Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. This was followed by Head of Delegation Cllr. Michael Murphy’s offering a regional perspective of EU/UK relations to European Commissioner, Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, during a key debate on the European Commission’s 2023 priorities.

Other highlights during day two included the European Care Strategy and the EU Nature Restoration Law debates.

The next plenary session will take place in March 2023.

Northern And Western Region Launches €217m Investment Programme With European Development Funding

The NWRA has launched a new six-year investment programme totaling €217m in European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) for Ireland’s Northern and Western region.

Speaking at the launch, which was hosted in the Portershed, Galway, Director of the Northern & Western Regional Assembly (NWRA), David Minton, said the funds for the 2021 to 2027 programme would build on previous funding that has improved almost every aspect of life in the region.

Funding from the programme will be used for projects; to build the capacity of the new Atlantic Technological University, to support regional research, capacity building and innovation; to support regional industry with enhanced financial assistance through TU Gateways (Enterprise Ireland) and helping regional enterprises to pursue further commercialise products and services.

The scheme will include:

  • Delivery of a regional smart hub network for research, training, innovation, commercialisation
  • Underpinning the region’s existing enterprise ecosystem with training and innovation supports
  • Working with SEAI to ensure households get deep energy retrofits
  • Addressing the high rate of derelict and vacant properties in the region

To read the full programme click here.

Or to explore the fund more watch an explainer video here.

Update: Interreg Europe

The second call for Interreg project proposals is will open from the 15th of March until the 9th of June 2023.

Interreg projects seek to bring together policy organisations from at least three different countries in the 27 EU Member States as well as Norway and Switzerland. Over the course of four years, the policy organisations are given the funding and support to learn from each other and work together on a shared policy issue.

In the lead up to the second call Interreg Europe have organised a number of online events, with each session being dedicated to a different topic:

The lessons learned lead to the improvement of regional policies and a more sustainable economic, social and environmental impact on the ground in the local and regional areas the projects stem from.

Update: Interreg North-West Europe

Interreg NWE fosters transnational cooperation to make the region a key economic player and an attractive place to work and live, with high levels of innovation, sustainability and cohesion.

The second call for Interreg North-West Europe (NEW) is open until the 9th of February 2023.

The Interreg NWE programme is seeking to fund projects under the five priority areas:

PRIORITY 1: Climate and environment

PRIORITY 2: Energy transition

PRIORITY 3: Circular economy

PRIORITY 4: Innovation and resilience

PRIORITY 5: Inclusive society

If you want to find out more about any of these five priorities and the nine specific objectives that accompany them, you can do so here. There’s also information about  call 2 key points of information including final terms of reference.

Interreg North-West Europe is open to all Irish regions. The Application form is available here.

If you wish to find out more about the programme contact Ireland’s national contact point, Sarah Davoren at sdavoren@southernassembly.ie

Update: Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme

The second call for projects for the Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) has now closed. It is foreseen that there will be two calls in 2023, with a call for preparatory projects in February/March 2023 and the third call taking place in April / May 2023.

The Interreg NPA Monitoring Committee is looking to fund projects in the following 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. Within this priority, the programme is especially seeking to engage young people in cooperation

The Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme is open to the entire Northern and Western region.

Applications for the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme are submitted via the Jems platform, a user guide for the platform is available here.

If you want to find out more about the programme contact Ireland’s new National Contact Point, Travis O’Doherty at todoherty@nwra.ie .

Update: Interreg Atlantic Area

The first call for projects for the Interreg Atlantic Area is now open! The call will remain open until the 17th of February 2023.

The Interreg Atlantic Area is seeking projects under four thematic priorities:

  1. Blue innovation and competitiveness (Smarter Europe)
  2. Blue and green environment (Greener Europe)
  3. Blue sustainable tourism and culture (Social Europe)
  4. A better governance for cooperation (Interreg objective)

To find out more about these priorities as well as eligibility and assessment criteria check out the programme manual. The secretariat has also prepared a webinar on financial reporting criteria available here.

Interreg Atlantic Area is open to all Irish regions.

If you wish to find out more about the programme contact Ireland’s national contact point, Travis O’Doherty at todoherty@nwra.ie.

Round up of 152nd CoR Plenary

The Committee of the Regions (CoR) held its 152nd plenary session from the 30th of November until the 1st of December. Marking the final plenary session of the year, the agenda was packed with opinions and debates, with Ireland making key contributions throughout, the highlight of which being the adoption of Cllr. Kieran McCarthy’s opinion.

The first of the two day plenary session featured debates on several CoR opinions. These included debates on; extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crimes, the EU strategy for sustainable circular economy and textiles, and reform of geographical indicators.

A highlight of day one was Irish delegation member Cllr. Una Power making a thoughtful and well received contribution on the opinion concerning the safeguarding of food security and the resilience of food security.

The second day of plenary began with a closing debate on the European Year of Youth and the formal adoption of the European Charter on Youth and Democracy. Contributions throughout the debate noted the need for 2022 to act as a catalyst for further involvement of youth voices within European policy making.

Following the debate on the European Year of Youth, head of delegation Cllr. Michael Murphy chaired an engaging debate on enhancing cohesion policy support for regions with geographic and demographic handicaps.

Cllr. Kieran McCarthy’s opinion “Small urban areas as key actors to manage a just transition” followed. The opinion won unanimous support from CoR members and was subsequently adopted. The opinion focuses on small urban areas which are home to 43% of the EU population. A key call made by Cllr. McCarthy in the opinion is a call for Member States to promote fiscal incentives linked to empty housing units so as to support access to affordable housing in order to attract citizens to settle and establish their lives in shrinking small places.

The plenary session was rounded out with two resolutions on the CoR political priorities for 2023 and the European Year of Skills 2023. Followed by a couple of debates on EU local matters and a debate on the energy crisis and consequences for European households.

The next plenary session will take place on the 8th and 9th of February 2023.