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Interreg III

This Community Initiative aims to stimulate interregional cooperation in the EU between 2000-06. It is financed under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Based upon previous Interreg initiatives, it is designed to strengthen economic and social cohesion throughout the EU, by fostering the balanced development of the continent through cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation. Special emphasis has been placed on integrating remote regions and those which share external borders with the candidate countries.

Interreg III is implemented under three strands whose objectives, eligible areas and priorities are:

• Strand A: Cross-border co-operation promoting integrated regional development between border regions

• Strand B: Transnational cooperation contributing to harmonious territorial integration across the European Union and with the applicant countries and other neighbouring countries

• Strand C: Inter-regional co-operation improving regional development and cohesion policies and techniques through transnational/interregional cooperation. With an appropriation of Euro 295 million, this strand gives priority to operations involving non-member countries, particularly the candidate countries, and in island and most remote regions.

Projects must also comply with the general objectives of the Structural Funds and other Community policies, with the following principles:

• establishment of joint strategies and initiative programmes for the territories concerned

• involvement of ‘institutional’ partners and other competent bodies

• complementarity between the Interreg III programmes, the programmes under Objectives 1, 2 and 3, and the other Community Initiatives

• consistency with European Union policy instruments (SAPARD, PHARE, ISPA, Tacis and Meda) that deal with the Community’s neighbouring states.

For an overview of Intereg lll (connecting European Regions) visit the Europa website.

For the official Intereg lll documents see the Europa website guidelines.

For details and application procedures of the first call for Intereg lll Strand C (deadline January 10 2003) see the Europa website details.

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