What next? 2021-2027

The objectives of the next programme will be defined during 2020-2021 in the Programming Committee – after hearing different stakeholder groups and involving them in the programme preparation. The objectives will be in the proposal for programme document which the Programming Committee will submit to the European Commission in 2021.

The European Commission has proposed a strategic framework for setting the Programme objectives. The framework is adjusted to the menu of five Policy Objectives and two Interreg Specific Objectives, each including set of Specific Objectives that define activities on a more detailed level.  The Specific Objectives and Interreg Specific Objectives are formulated in the following way in the ”Joint Paper on Interreg NEXT strategic programming”:

Partnership is a central principle in the preparations of the next programme. It ensures the involvement of economic, social and environmental partners, including NGOs. Examples of good practice include involving representatives of different interests in the programming processes such as evaluation. An active involvement of public, economic, civil society and environmental partners should be ensured.

In late 2020, the Managing Authority conducted a survey to collect opinions on the selection and prioritization of programme´s themes from all interest groups and citizens if the region. 

Early 2021 all the participating regions organised stakeholder discussions and consultations in different formats, including interviews, webinars, thematic discussions to collect the needs and interests of regional level stakeholders for future Kolarctic cooperation.

In June 2021 the MA and the programming Task Force organised a joint  public consultation webinar´to all interest groups, where all the four priorities and six proposed specific objectives were presented and discussed.