Interreg III B - Western Mediterranean
Programme description
The European Commission has decided to contribute actively to the development of cross-border cooperation between Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta and Gibraltar, by co-financing, for the 2000-2006 period, the Interreg III B programme for the Western Mediterranean. The participating areas include: Andalusia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, Ceuta and Melilla in Spain; Corsica, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Rhône-Alpes in France; the Algarve and Alentejo in Portugal; Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria and the Valle d'Aosta in Italy; the whole territory of Greece and Malta and Gibraltar in the United Kingdom. Structural Fund assistance amounts to EUR 119.35 million out of a total budget of EUR 214.94 million.
Eligible areas / Contact / Financial tables 1. Action PrioritiesPriority 1: Mediterranean basin. This priority seeks to overcome the obstacles created by the existence of very varied organisations and structures. The priority uses two spatial approaches:
- regional planning (relations between the north and the south of Europe, the north and the south of the Mediterranean and between the islands);
- economic development, with a view to creating a free trade area by 2010 under the Barcelona process.
Priority 2: Strategy for spatial development and urban systems. The second priority in this programme seeks to improve spatial development and urban systems through greatly enhanced transnational cooperation: at the level of the area as a whole (the planning perspective), at the level of the major urban centres (rebalancing of the urban structure) and at regional and local level (development of local assets through the sharing of experience to facilitate sustainable development).
Priority 3: Transport systems and information society. The third priority aims to improve communication techniques, which are essential for the sound development of economic activities in the region, particularly in rural and island areas, by developing innovative communications and information technologies.
Priority 4: Development of assets and sustainable development. The fourth priority in this programme is to create a uniform system able to generate opportunities for continuing but more focussed development in the island and mountainous areas.
Priority 5: Technical Assistance. The Community is also contributing EUR 7.90 million in technical assistance for administration, information management and the evaluation of the programme.
2. Description of the eligible areas
The programme area has striking economic and social contrasts, with some very prosperous regions, such as the Po valley in Italy, the large Rhône delta in France and Catalonia in Spain, and other regions where the level of development is much lower.
As regards the sectoral breakdown, a number of groups can be clearly identified. These include the industrial centres such as Lombardy and Piedmont, areas devoted to services such as Lazio and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, regions such as Murcia and Valencia where agriculture is very important and mixed areas such as Tuscany and Rhône-Alpes with both industry and services. Tourism offers development potential over the whole programme area and can facilitate sustainable development, with contributions from those active at local level.
3. Management and contact detailsFinancial information
Breakdown of finances by priority axis
| Priority Axis | EU Investment | National Public Contribution | Total Public Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean basin | 14.730.319,00 | 26.180.387,00 | 26.180.387,00 |
| Strategy for spatial development and urban systems | 19.849.796,00 | 35.377.093,00 | 35.377.093,00 |
| Transport systems and information society | 24.171.836,00 | 45.041.169,00 | 45.041.169,00 |
| Environment, enhancement of heritage and rural development | 52.688.902,00 | 94.147.538,00 | 94.147.538,00 |
| Technical Assistance | 7.905.604,00 | 14.193.408,00 | 14.193.408,00 |
| Total | 119.346.457,00 | 214.939.595,00 | 214.939.595,00 |