Interreg Central Europe - Call for peripheral and lagging areas
With this call, we invite organisations from across central Europe to develop transnational cooperation ideas for small-scale projects that “pioneer solutions for peripheral and lagging areas, making them more attractive to live and work in”. Consequently, the call has a territorial and thematic focus and addresses small-scale projects (see further below). The call budget is around 14 million Euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the ERDF co-financing rate is 80%.
Territorial challenges
The central Europe territory is characterised by structural differences and economic disparities between different types of regions, notably more advanced and industrialised areas (e.g. capital regions, metropolitan areas) and deprived areas (e.g. peripheral areas including inner peripheries, rural areas which are lagging behind). The latter are characterised by lower competitiveness and shrinking populations, and they face many different challenges in relation to economic development, connectivity, demographic change and social cohesion. Furthermore, there are significant disparities in the quality of governance and public services.
Targeted territories
With this call we want to unlock the development potentials of peripheral and lagging areas. Projects shall deliver local and regional solutions tailored to the specific challenges of these places in line with the principles of the Territorial Agenda (TA) 2030, with lessons learned from related pilot actions serving as insights for project applicants.
In order to qualify for the territorial focus of the call, areas to be targeted by projects have to show one or more of the following characteristics:
- Low economic potential;
- Poor access to services of general interest, often affected by demographic change;
- Lack of relational proximity, decline in significance, influence or connectivity.
These characteristics of peripherality and lagging areas are of qualitative nature and there is no specific list or map of eligible regions to be targeted by projects. Targeted areas may be rural but may also include urban areas which are lagging behind in terms of socio-economic development. Their scale and size can vary depending on the project goals, e.g. ranging from local neighbourhoods (e.g. suburbs), city districts, villages and rural communities, small-or medium-sized towns or entire regions that are suffering from peripherality or that lag behind.
Thematic focus
The call will be thematically focused and be open for proposals in four programme specific objectives (SOs):
- SO 1.2: Strengthening skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship
- SO 2.5: Greening urban mobility
- SO 3.1: Improving transport connections of rural and peripheral regions
- SO 4.1: Strengthening governance for integrated territorial development
Projects shall promote good governance through inclusive and participatory processes, on supporting socio-economic transformation by developing human capital and improving connectivity and governance in the concerned territories.
For more details on the priorities see the Call: https://www.interreg-central.eu/third-call-open/
Features of small-scale projects
The call is implemented through small-scale projects. These are easier to set-up and implement compared to classic projects because of a shorter application form, the use of simplified cost options, and streamlined reporting procedures.
However, also with this new project type, partners are expected to develop practical and durable outputs and solutions by testing concrete novel or pioneering solutions through pilot actions. While smaller in size and shorter in duration, small-scale projects follow the same intervention logic as our classic projects.
Related documents on the programme background and the application documents are available here: https://www.interreg-central.eu/documents/?document_category=57
Interreg Danube Region:
Interreg Danube Region | Calls for proposals
Interreg Danube supports cooperation projects through open calls for proposals. Stay up to date on upcoming calls and find information about previous calls below.
Third call: second half of 2025
The management and support of the Danube Region Programme are overseen by several programme bodies tasked with programme administration and project assistance. These bodies comprise representatives from all partner countries. DRP also supports the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR).
Managing Authority/ Joint Secretariat
The Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat (MA/JS) of the Danube Region Programme serves as the main point of contact for potential beneficiaries, providing guidance on the application process and supporting project management. It is located in Budapest, Hungary.
National Contact Points
In all our participating countries is a National Contact Point (NCP). The NCPs assist the Joint Secretariat at the national level and serve as the first point of contact for inquiries about the programme.
What can NCPs do for you?
- Answer questions about the programme's rules (e.g. eligibility criteria, and application process) and national rules in national language.
- Assist in finding potential partners for your project in your country or elsewhere across the region.
- Help with creating your project application form (e.g. choosing programme priority/type of activity/intervention logic, give feedback on the draft application form.
Monitoring Committee
Our Monitoring Committee is responsible for supervising the work of the Managing Auhority/Joint Secretariat and making decisions on project selection and funding allocation. The MC is composed of representatives from each participating country, as well as representatives from the European Commission.