Interreg Central Europe: Strategic call for capitalisation

  • Action type: Interreg Central Europe
  • Opening date: 29 September 2025
  • Closing time: 27 November 2025 13:00 (Europe/Brussels)
  • Total budget: € 23 000 000
  • Estimated number of projects funded: 1000000
  • Project duration: 24 months
  • Official website

Scope

Central Europe is a complex functional area characterised not only by geographic proximity but also by spatial interactions and functional linkages in various sectors of economy, governance and public policies. Fifteen national borders and many internal ones hinder functional linkages among regions and, overall, the development of central European regions. Effects of borders are tackled locally by several Interreg cross-border programmes. At the same time, transnational projects are delivering solutions along functional linkages beyond national and internal borders. There is, therefore, the potential to team up efforts between cross-border and transnational projects, strengthening the impact of Interreg as a whole for the benefit of the central Europe area.

The overall objective of the call is:

“To reduce the effects of borders on flows and functional linkages among central European regions,
for a more competitive and resilient central Europe”

Strategic projects for capitalisation are to take up existing Interreg transnational and cross-border outputs and results, to meet existing and new needs and strengthen their territorial and policy impact in wider areas, also beyond border regions. They must go beyond a mere pooling or duplication of what already exists. Instead, they should further develop, improve, or adapt existing outputs and results by drawing on the experience of more projects.

These projects unlock synergies, strengthen networks, boost visibility and attract political attention, ensuring that successful ideas go further and reach wider. Above all, they must clearly show how they add value beyond what has already been achieved.

Focus should be on quality over quantity, carefully selecting only the most relevant outputs and results to address specific challenges and needs.

Capitalisation can be implemented in two different ways. Both approaches are complementary and a combination of the two in one strategic project for capitalisation is possible. 

Upstreaming

Existing outputs and results are taken up and tailored in a way that policy makers can address border issues through new or improved territorial or thematic policies and strategies. This should happen at the most appropriate level (i.e. European, national, regional or local).

Downstreaming

Existing outputs and results are tailored in a way that they can be further rolled-out at the most appropriate level. Such roll-out could be “territorial” in case the adapted outputs and results are applied in other regions facing similar issues; or “sectoral” when the adapted outputs and results are applied to other sectors than the ones initially addressed.

As a minimum requirement, projects must explicitly take up existing outputs and results from:

Additionally, and if relevant to the project’s scope and the overall call objective, the projects may also take up:

  • outputs and results of relevant projects funded by other programmes, such as for example: Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE 2014–2020, other Interreg transnational programmes, Interreg cross-border programmes at external borders of central Europe, mainstreaming programmes;
  • knowledge and tools developed under the B-Solutions initiative of the European Commission, tackling obstacles caused by internal central European borders. 

Thematic scope

Strategic projects for capitalisation can address all topics specified in chapter 2 of the Interreg Programme (IP) document for each programme specific objective (SO), without restrictions.

Applicants are however, encouraged to consider in particular those thematic areas concerning the most significant central European territorial challenges as well as showing a higher potential to capitalise existing Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE and cross-border achievements. Some of thematic areas holding these characteristics are mentioned below for each programme priority (non-exhaustive list).

Priority 1: Cooperating for a smarter central Europe

SO 1.1 Strengthening innovation capacities in central Europe

Ideas are welcome in all relevant topics of this specific objective. Among others, the following topics show a good potential for capitalisation:

  • Innovation management in SMEs
  • Health care (innovation) and silver economy

SO 1.2 Strengthening skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship

Ideas are welcome in all relevant topics of this specific objective. Among others, the following topics show a good potential for capitalisation:

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Matching skills to labour market needs of regions in industrial and digital transition

Please note, the project proposals addressing topics with higher potentials will not have any specific advantage in the assessment and selection process.

Projects funded under this call will be recognised as “Operations of Strategic Importance”, i.e. flagship initiatives that make a strong contribution to programme objectives and demonstrate the tangible benefits of EU cooperation.

By building on existing results from Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE and relevant cross-border projects, these projects are expected to:

  • Scale up proven solutions to current and emerging challenges, maximising their impact across central Europe
  • Create synergies and strengthen networks
  • Add clear value beyond what has already been achieved

As strategic projects, they will benefit from enhanced visibility and they are also expected to take an active role in communicating results, helping to showcase the value of Cohesion Policy to citizens, decision-makers and other stakeholders.

Remarks

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