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  1. An institution, body, office or agency established by or based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaties establishing the European Communities.

    All education and training facilities for people of different age groups.

    An intergovernmental organization having legal personality under public international law or a specialized agency established by such an international organization. An international organization, the majority of whose members are Member States or Associated Countries and whose main objective is to promote scientific and technological cooperation in Europe, is an International Organization of European Interest.

    A person with legal rights and obligations. Unlike a legal entity, a natural person does not have a legal act (e.g. association, limited liability company, etc.).

    An NPO is an institution or organization which, by virtue of its legal form, is not profit-oriented or which is required by law not to distribute profits to its shareholders or individual members. An NGO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that does not represent business interests. Pursues a common purpose for the benefit of society.

    A partnership, corporation, person, or agency that is for-profit and not operated by the government.

    Any government or other public administration, including public advisory bodies, at the national, regional or local level.

    A research institution is a legal entity established as a non-profit organization whose main objective is to conduct research or technological development. A college/university is a legal entity recognized by its national education system as a university or college or secondary school. It may be a public or private institution.

    A microenterprise, a small or medium-sized enterprise (business) as defined in EU Recommendation 2003/361. To qualify as an SME for EU funding, an enterprise must meet certain conditions, including (a) fewer than 250 employees and (b) an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. These ceilings apply only to the figures for individual companies.

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  1. Governance, partnership: Projects aimed at increasing the application of multilevel and transnational or cross-border governance, designing and testing appropriate governance structures and mechanisms. Also cooperation between public institutions on any theme.

    Innovation capacity and awareness-raising: Actions that increase a person’s or organisation’s capacity for innovation (not innovation as such), and that establish the capacity to diffuse and apply innovation; projects that stimulate innovation in different areas and innovation capacities; strengthening and empowering of innovation networks.

    Institutional cooperation and cooperation networks: Projects working on the improvement of institutional cross-border co-operation and capacities, on renewing and simplifying administrative management through long term cooperation between institutions (e.g. Euregion), on establishing and sharing regional knowledge and intercultural understanding and cohesion. It also deals with cooperations between universities, health care facilities, schools and sports organisations, as well as with management and capacity building.

    Activities focussing on agricultural products, organic farming, horticulture, as well as forest management and wood products; furthermore the development of the food sector, food chains, organic food production, and seafood products and any topics related to animals and fishing.

    Agriculture and fisheries and forestry: Projects focussing on agricultural products (i.e. fruits, meat, olives, etc.), organic farming, horticulture, as well as forest management and wood products. Also the development of the agro-food sector, food chains, organic food production, and seafood products. Any topics related to animals (i.e. health, management) and fishing (i.e. sustainable fishery, aquaculture).

    Soil and air quality: Projects that deal with any topic against soil and air pollution, except water pollution, for example, reduction of soil and air contamination, pollution-management systems, but also prevention and eradication of soil erosion, new ways of improving air quality (also indoors) and soil/air knowledge in general.

    Climate change and biodiversity projects assisting mitigation and adaption to climate change and environmental impacts of climate change. Development of low carbon technologies and strategies, reduction of CO2 emissions from all sectors. Promotion of biodiversity, new instruments to enhance biodiversity and natural protection.

    Soil and air quality projects that deal with any topic against soil and air pollution, except water pollution, for example, reduction of soil and air contamination, pollution-management systems, but also prevention and eradication of soil erosion, new ways of improving air quality (also indoors) and soil/air knowledge in general.

    Water management projects about management and distribution of drinking water, integrated sustainable water management, monitoring systems for water supply and improving drinking water quality; also water treatment (wastewater), in particular, innovative technologies to improve wastewater, treatments in the purification of industrial and domestic wastewater and water reuse policies. Waterways, lakes and rivers: This deals with any topics on waterways, lakes and rivers, from improving water quality, protecting and developing of ecosystems or sustainable wetland management.

    Activities that protect, promote and enhance cultural and natural heritage, increase the attractiveness through preservation and valorisation of common cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable manner, and improve and develop cultural and natural heritage objects, services and products. Cultural heritage management, art and culture, (maritime) heritage routes, access to cultural and natural heritage. Also all topics on cultural services such as festivals, concerts, art workshops.

    Cultural heritage and arts projects that protect, promote and enhance cultural and natural heritage, increase the attractiveness through preservation and valorisation of common cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable manner, and improve and develop cultural and natural heritage objects, services and products. Cultural heritage management, art and culture, (maritime) heritage routes, access to cultural and natural heritage. Also all topics on cultural services such as festivals, concerts, art workshops.

    Tourism projects dealing with the promotion of natural assets, and the protection and development of natural heritage, as well as increasing the touristic attractiveness through the better use of natural, cultural and historical heritage. Also projects about improved tourist services/products, development of ecotourism models, tourism development strategies.

    Sustainable management of natural resources projects focussing on the protection, promotion and valorization, and sustainable management and conservation of natural areas (habitats, geo parks, protected areas, etc.). Also projects focussing on preserving and enhancing cultural and natural heritage and landscape, as well as protecting the marine environment.

    Projects on waste management (innovative services and strategies), ecological waste treatment, treatment techniques/systems; waste disposal and recycling (improvement of recycling, innovative recycling technologies, recovery of organic waste, repair & re-use centres and networks); also prevention of pollution and pollution control (ecological and circular economy, marine littering, etc.).

    Labour market and employment: creating employment opportunities and/or optimising jobs, academic (un)employment and job mobility, workforce attraction and improvement of employment conditions for different groups.

    SME and entrepreneurship: strengthening SME capacities, boosting entrepreneurial activities in different sectors and for different groups, supporting social entrepreneurship, creating business support/advisory systems for start-ups/spin-offs/incubators, improving the competitiveness of SMEs, and promoting new business processes.

    Community integration and common identity projects that build identity, create a more cohesive society, promote positive relations through an increased provision of shared spaces and services.

    Demographic change and immigration is about projects tackling major societal challenges like demographic change in different areas and migration, in particular, aging society (active aging, best agers, silver economy strategies) and related new public services (adaptation of key services and infrastructure), social and spatial segregation, and brain drain. Also all topics on migration (policy tools, strategic planning, integration).

    All projects where ICT has a significant role, including tailor-made ICT solutions in different fields, as well as digital innovation hubs, open data, Internet of Things; ICT access and connecting (remote) areas with digital infrastructure and services; services and applications for citizens (e-health, e-government, e-learning, e-inclusion, etc.); services and applications for companies (e-commerce, networking, digital transformation, etc.).

    This is about the mitigation and management of risks and disasters, and the anticipation and response capacity towards the actors regarding specific risks and management of natural disasters, for example, prevention of flood and drought hazards, forest fire, strong weather conditions, etc.. It is also about risk assessment and safety.

    Education and training projects on expanding educational opportunities, reducing barriers in the field of education, improving higher education and lifelong learning, training and labour mobility, educational networks, higher vocational education, common learning programmes.

    Topics on energy management, energy-saving methods, evaluating energy efficiency measurements, energy rehabilitation/efficiency in buildings / public infrastructure, promotion of energy efficiency, cooperation among experienced energy efficiency firms, institutions and local administrations, co-generation.

    Projects focussing on wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal and other renewable energy, increasing the production of sustainable renewable energy and improving research capacities in biomass. Also projects focussing on storage and management of renewable energy, new technologies, sustainable regional bioenergy policies and financial Instruments for investments on renewable energy.

    Social projects concerning people with disabilities and excluded groups; enhancement of the capacity of children, young people, women and elderly; creation of infrastructure to improve access for disabled people, integration of socially vulnerable people; innovate in the care of victims of gender violence, social inclusion of women, etc.

    This deals with the development of health and social services and improved accessibility and efficiency for different groups (elderly, children, etc.). It is also about new healthcare models and medical diagnosis and treatments (dementia, cancer, diabetes, etc.), hospitals, care management, and rare diseases, as well as improving wellbeing and promoting sports.

    Projects about (organised) crime, efficient and secure borders, such as enhancing the effectiveness of the police in the prevention of drug crimes, the development of safety services, or tackling security and organised crime issues.

    Activities related to:

    • Transport and mobility covering all sorts of transport (incl. urban transport) and mobility.
    • Improving transport connections dealing with traffic and/or transport connections, rehabiliation/modernisation, better connectivity, improving accessibility/connections, but also public transport.
    • Multimodal transport and logistics and freight transport focusing on using different means of transport, developing multimodal connections, optimising intermodal transport chains; offering multimodal logistics solutions and providing access to clean, efficient and multimodal transport corridors and hubs; establishing cooperation among logistic centres and developing multimodal mobility strategies.

    Activities related to:

    • urban development, such as planning and design of cities and urban areas, urban renewal, urban-rural links (climate, sustainable mobility, water efficiency, participation, sustainable land use, smart cities, public urban areas, regeneration)
    • regional planning and development, such as the implementation of regional development policies/instruments and programmes, sustainable land use management plans, integrated regional action plans, spatial planning, and marine protected area management.
    • rural and peripheral development, referring to remote, sparsely populated areas, rural community development, and rural economics, in particular access to remote areas and policies for rural areas.
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Program key data

Interreg Aurora

Parent programEuropean Regional Development Fund
Link to the programwww.interregaurora.eu

Content of program

short description

Interreg Aurora is a Programme in the European Union Interreg community for cross-border cooperation in 2021-2027. The Programme offers great opportunities and enables new and exciting cross-border cooperation in the northernmost parts of Europe and Sápmi. The Interreg Aurora has a unique feature, the Programme is integrated with Sápmi and the indigenous Sami people. The overall goal of the Interreg Aurora Programme 2021-2027 is to encourage cross-border collaboration and thereby strengthening the competitiveness, sustainability and attractiveness of the Programme area through social inclusion, digitalisation and green transition.

program objectives

The following priorities and specific objectives have been developed within the programme:

  • P1: A smarter Europe: Smart and sustainable growth
    • SO 1.1: Smart specialization, research and innovation
    • SO 1.2: Competitiveness of SMEs
  • P2: A greener Europe: Green and sustainable transition
    • SO 2.1: Climate change adaptation
    • SO 2.2: Nature protection & biodiversity
    • SO 2.3: Sustainable mobility
  • P3: A more social Europe: Education, culture and sustainable tourism
    • SO 3.1: Education and lifelong learning
    • SO 3.2: Culture and sustainable tourism
  • P4: A better Interreg Governance: Better and more sustainable cross-border cooperation
    • SO 4.1: Cross-border capacity building
Expected results

The programme proposes the following (non exhaustive) types of measures:

P1: A smarter Europe: Smart and sustainable growth

  • SO 1.1: Smart specialization, research and innovation
    • Cooperation between research institutes, higher education institutes, businesses and/or public sector to create cross-border knowledge networks enhancing the green and digital transitions.
    • Usage of shared regional research infrastructures through cross-border cooperation to enhance the uptake of advanced technologies and the development of innovative products, services, and methods as well as new business models and opportunities.
    • Cooperation between research institutes, higher education institutes, businesses and/or public sector to strengthen the exploitation of applied research in SMEs and/or public sector.
    • Development of arenas, Programmes, tools, and methods for supporting technology transfer, soft knowledge and cooperation between enterprises, research centres and higher education sector.
    • Stimulation to create a critical mass in the region that can reach out to EU Programmes such as Horizon Europe.
  • SO 1.2: Competitiveness of SMEs
    • B2B cooperation strengthening the uptake and use of technologies and advanced systems related to (e.g., robotics, IoT, open data, cyber security, 3D-printing, data-analytics).
    • Knowledge building activities and advice increasing the preparedness of SMEs to internationalize and grow.
    • Activities linking companies based on complementarity competencies to enhance the innovation capacity and/or the formation of cross-border value chains.
    • Cross-border cooperation between clusters adding complementary competencies.
    • Cross-border cooperation between start-up hubs and business accelerators and virtual incubators adding complementary competencies.

P2: A greener Europe: Green and sustainable transition

  • SO 2.1: Climate change adaptation
    • Awareness raising and communication about climate change in the Programme area.
    • Designing, adapting methods and methodologies.
    • Experience exchange and learning as result of joint implementation.
    • Exchange of best practises.
    • Development of climate adaptation strategies and plans, risk, and vulnerability analyses.
    • Increased cooperation between research and locally based monitoring.
    • Implementation of technologies, digital solutions, tools to cope with climate change and reduce climate impact and carbon emission.
    • Involvement and engagement of local and regional stakeholders in policy work, decision-making processes (on national and regional level).
    • Measures on Nature based solutions such as of e.g., wetlands, peatlands, mires, rivers.
  • SO 2.2: Nature protection & biodiversity
    • Data collection, surveys, inventory.
    • Analysis, scenarios, plans.
    • Designing and adapting methods.
    • Joint plans and strategies.
    • Knowledge and best practice building and exchange, joint implementation.
    • Harmonisation of working methods, guidelines.
    • Development of joint sustainable management strategies.
    • Restoration, conservation, and increased connectivity.
    • Methods for including stakeholders with traditional knowledge in nature management and decision-making.
  • SO 2.3: Sustainable mobility
    • Cross-border analysis, simulations, and surveys on CO2 reduction measures and modal shifts.
    • Green and multimodal cross-border mobility roadmap development.
    • Plans, drawings, and designs for green and smart mobility solutions.
    • Coordination of smart mobility plans and transport services for cross border functional regions.
    • Planning and implementation of digital solutions and processes for decreased CO2 emissions.
    • Small-scale pilot actions enabling lower CO2 emissions transport systems, electrification solutions, renewable fuel solutions, more efficient vehicles etc.
    • Experience exchange activities as joint seminars, study visits, surveys, and trainings.

P3: A more social Europe: Education, culture and sustainable tourism

  • SO 3.1: Education and lifelong learning
    • Diversifying, updating, or harmonising the different types of training provision and qualifications.
    • Benchmarking and improving services and methods of career counselling.
    • Joint efforts in the event of rapid changes in the labour market.
    • Encourage companies, workers, and educational institutions to participate in lifelong learning.
    • Common efforts to attract a diversity of labour to choose the region as a place to work, study and live in.
    • Developing new or transforming previous training to virtual format.
    • Develop cross-border education and training supporting entrepreneurship and business skills.
    • Language nests / baths, including Sami languages.
  • SO 3.2: Culture and sustainable tourism
    • Cross-border collaboration, partnerships, knowledge exchange and joint solution and competence-enhancing initiatives.
    • joint cross-border products, services, and marketing.
    • joint cross-border accessibility and mobility solutions.
    • cross-border activities to reinforce the resilience and diversification of tourism and culture sectors.
    • SMEs cross-border activities, which will strengthen social enterprises and social innovation.
    • Diversification of the tourism sub-sectors.
    • Cross-border activities, which are contributing to the livelihoods of local and regional communities.
    • Cross-border collaboration in research, development and innovation for the tourism and culture sector.
    • Cultural clusters that contribute to the development of creative industries.
    • Strengthen the development of cultural tourism by making available and / or visible the culture and cultural heritages.
    • Develop culture and creative industries through refined or new cross-border products, methods, services, and networks.
    • Development of nature-based tourism by enhancing common and cross-border solutions.

P4: A better Interreg Governance: Better and more sustainable cross-border cooperation

  • SO 4.1: Cross-border capacity building
    • Cross-border strategies that strengthen regional capacity.
    • Feasibility studies for large cross-border regional investments.
    • Action plans.
    • Cross-border governance projects for better regional functionality and enhancing capacity.
    • Initiatives on identifying and eliminating legal and administrative obstacles and implementing recommendations of these initiatives.
    • Clustering participation and find synergies within the Arctic Cooperation, by cooperation with ongoing projects in other Arctic Cooperation Programmes.
    • Data and statistics related to theregions and Sami groups.
    • Long term statistical solutions.
    • People to people projects in trust building.
    • nstitutional capacity building.

read more

Regions / countries for fundingFinland (Suomi/Finland), Norway (Norge), Sweden (Sverige)
eligible entities
Partners
Other,  Research Institution incl. University,  Education and training institution,  Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO),  Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit),  Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME),  Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs)
Mandatory partnershipYes
Project Partnership

Interreg Aurora projects:

     ⦁  shall involve partners from at least two participating countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway) and at least one of which shall be a beneficiary from a Member State (Sweden, Finland).

     ⦁ may be implemented in a single country, provided that the impact on and the benefits for the programme area are identified in the operation application.

Partners shall cooperate in the development and implementation of Interreg operations, as well as in the staffing or financing, or both, thereof.

More information about the partnership can be found here.

other eligibility criteria

Programme area:

  • Sub-area Aurora
    • FINLAND: Lapland, North Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, North Karelia
    • SWEDEN: Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Västernorrland
    • NORWAY: Nordland, Troms and Finnmark
  • Sub-area Sápmi:
    • FINLAND: Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia. In addition to the official area of the Sami homeland (the areas of the municipalities of Enontekiö, Inari and Utsjoki, as well as the area of the reindeer owner's association of Lapland in Sodankylä), the geographical area of the sub-area Sápmi covers the entire region of Lapland, and the regions of North Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia.
    • SWEDEN: Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Västernorrland and Jämtland, as well as Idre Sameby in Dalarna.
    • NORWAY: Troms and Finnmark, Nordland, and Trøndelag as well as parts of Innlandet (Elgå Reinbeitedistrikt).

Types of projects:

  • A small-scale project could be defined as a preparatory project or a pre-study but can also be a normal implementation project with a limited budget. A project with a maximum budget of 20 000 euros per participating country will be considered as a small-scale project. A small-scale project can be intended to lead to an application for a regular project, but it can also have other expected results. A small-scale project is granted with a lump sum based on a draft budget. The lump sum principle means that there is no checking of the actual spending. If the result is achieved and approved by the Joint Secretariat, the payment will be made. If the result/outcome should not be achieved, there will be no payment at all. Note that it is not possible to receive a partial payment.
  • Regular projects are projects with a total budget higher than the limits for small-scale projects. There are two reporting methods for regular projects. The easiest one is the so called 40%-method where the budget consists of real staff costs and a flat rate of 40% to cover all the other costs in the project. When applying for payment the projects only need to report on staff costs. All regular projects can use this method and it is even mandatory for regular projects with a total budget of up to 200 000 euros.
  • Larger regular projects, with a budget above 200 000 euros and not using the 40%-method can calculate their budget with several cost categories but nevertheless there is a 15% flat rate for travel and accommodation and a 15% flat rate for office and administrations costs. Both those flat rates are based on staff costs.

Additional information

Topics Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation,  Agriculture & Forestry, Fishery, Food, Soil quality,  Air Quality, Biodiversity & Environment, Climate & Climate Change, Water quality & management,  Arts & Culture, Cultural Heritage, Tourism,  Circular Economy, Natural Resources,  Competitiveness of Enterprises, Employment/Labour Market, SME & entrepreneurship,  Digitalisation, Digital Society, ICT,  Disaster Prevention, Resilience, Risk Management,  Education & Training, Children & Youth, Media,  Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy ,  Equal Rights, Human Rights, People with Disabilities, Social Inclusion,  Health, Social Services, Sports,  Mobility & Transport,  Rural & Urban Development/Planning
Relevance for EU Macro-RegionEUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Program documents Interreg Aurora 2021-2017 programme (402kB)
Interreg Aurora- summary (5247kB)
ContactInterreg Aurora Programme - Managing Authority
+46 10-225 50 00
interregaurora@lansstyrelsen.se
Website