Post 2027 Harvesting Event by Interact

The Post 2027 Harvesting event organised by Interact brought together in Brussels 250 participants representing more than 80 Interreg programmes together with EU Member and non-member States. In this two-day event, Interreg Programme representatives and the Commission discussed and shared experiences on the consultations carried out by programmes throughout 2024, aimed at gathering the input of citizens and stakeholders on the future of cooperation after 2027.

One of the key takeaways was the importance of flexibility and adaptability in Interreg programs. Participants emphasised the need for programs to have the freedom to develop synergies in a way that matters for their territory, while also highlighting the importance of resources and capacity building. The discussion also focused on the use of territorial instruments, such as Impact Assessment and community-led local development, the need for programs to share their experiences and best practices and the importance of Outermost Regions Programmes (Interreg strand D).

The workshops explored the concept of a performance-based approach, a new delivery model mechanism being explored for the post 2027 programming period. While some programmes expressed hesitation about the new mechanism, others saw opportunities for growth and innovation. The discussions highlighted the need for a change of mindset from an input-based to an output-based approach.

The event featured intervention by DG REGIO representatives Slawomir Tokarski, Moray Gilland and Simona Pohlova. The Interact team commended the European Commission for the involvement of the stakeholders and citizens at the policy formation stage.

A report by Interact on the Post 2027 inter-programme consultation summarising the contributions will be published in January.