Today, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira has awarded the 2023 REGIOSTARS Awards to seven outstanding and innovative projects across Europe which have been supported by Cohesion Policy funds.
- 16 November 2023
The projects showcase how the EU, through Cohesion Policy, delivers change on the ground and strengthens economic and social development across the EU. The awards ceremony took place in Ostrava, Czechia.
For the 2023 edition, a total record of 228 applications were submitted to compete for the top prize in six different categories as well as a public choice award, with 30 finalists being shortlisted.
Category 1 - A competitive and smart Europe: The Spanish project, ‘Edificio Fundacion Pasqual Maragall‘, topped the list in this category. The Barcelona-based foundation now boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure that enables research, digitalisation and collaboration with other EU countries to combat Alzheimer’s disease.
Category 2 - A Green Europe: The ‘From mine to river. The Water Guardians’ Interreg project located on the border of Romania and Serbia won in this category. Two universities and an NGO teamed up to design a solution to reduce pollution caused by mining activities and to restore the natural attractiveness and aesthetic of the border area.
Category 3 - A Connected Europe: An Interreg project operating in Germany, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Poland took the prize for this category. ‘Dynaxibility4CE’ improves low-carbon mobility and air quality across the Central European region by equipping public transport authorities with planning strategies and the necessary tools to deal with new mobility trends.
Category 4 - A social and inclusive Europe: The winner is ‘ProFem 2.0’ from Czechia. The project offers support to victims of domestic and sexual violence through dedicated centres and an online platform. The project showed the ability to support victims across the country by establishing specific structures at national level.
Category 5 - A Europe closer to citizens: ‘EuregioFamilyPass’, a card offering numerous benefits to families (for example, access to cultural events, public transport and education) in the Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino region between Austria and Italy, was the winner in this category.
Category 6 - Topic of the year (2023 European Year of Skills): ‘TechGrounds’ from the Netherlands secured the top place in this category. The project solves the mismatch often present in the IT labour market by activating hidden talents and offering a guided approach to IT, from onboarding tips to dedicated trainings.
Like every year, the public are invited to vote for their favourite project amongst the 30 shortlisted finalists. The public’s clear favourite this year and the project which received the highest number of online votes, was the ‘Cultural Art Centre: museum and library’ in Burgas, Bulgaria. Thanks to Cohesion funds, an abandoned building was reconverted into a cultural and educational centre and is now home to a museum, the largest library in South-East Bulgaria with 600 000 books, and a space which can be used for community events and workshops.
Background
The REGIOSTARS Awards are a yearly competition organised by the Commission since 2008. They have become Europe’s label of excellence for EU-funded projects under Cohesion Policy that demonstrate innovative and inclusive approaches to regional development. They have inspired regions to deliver an ever more impactful EU Cohesion Policy, which is meeting the needs of citizens at a local level.
This year saw hundreds of projects compete in five categories aligned with the policy objectives of the 2021-2027 programming period, along with a specific category established for this edition – in this case, it related to the 2023 European Year of Skills. There were therefore six categories to compete in, as well as an overall public choice award where the public voted for their favourite project amongst the list of finalists.
Out of 228 applications, 30 finalists were selected to present their final pitch before a jury during the annual EU Regions' Week, which took place in October 2023.
The culminating awards ceremony was then chosen to take place in the city of Ostrava, Czechia. Each year, a different Member States hosts the ceremony based on a rotational calendar.
Announcing the winners, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “My warmest congratulations to the winners of this year’s REGIOSTARS awards. Once again, I leave feeling inspired, having seen & heard about such innovative projects which are having a real impact on people’s lives across Europe. These projects clearly demonstrate the added value of Cohesion Policy in responding to the needs of citizens at a local level. Cohesion Policy has the power to positively impact citizens’ day-to-day lives – and there’s plenty more to come!”