Hello all! I’m Olga and I’m currently deployed as an IVY Reporter for the Interreg Italy-Austria Programme. But what is IVY? What is Interreg? Not a lot of people know of these programs, and even I was not aware of their existence until recently, when I was looking for possible volunteering experiences in a European country. And it is certainly a pity, considering the opportunities that the European Union makes available through these programs and initiatives. With this little post I hope to bring some clarity and knowledge about the opportunities and the concrete work that are facilitated by Interreg, and more generally by the EU.
Interreg is a key financial tool that contributes to the implementation of the so-called “Cohesion Policy” and its priorities. Established by the end of the 80’s, the Cohesion Policy is, first and foremost, the concrete manifestation of the EU’s interest and effort to promote a harmonized and balanced, hence fruitful, development of the different regions and territories included in its political area. The Cohesion Policy is a key component of the EU strategy to reduce economic and social disparities between its member states and to achieve this goal, this policy allocates significant funding to support hundreds of programs and projects.
Between the programs funded by the Cohesion Policy, we can find Interreg. Interreg, put simply, is a financial tool that supports cooperation across borders through project funding. Interreg was started in 1990 and focused only on cross-border cooperation (Interreg A); over time it expanded and today there are other so-called “Strands of Cooperation” that go beyond the local borders, supporting larger scale initiatives (Interreg B: transnational cooperation) and network-building to facilitate exchange of best practices at a pan-European level (Interreg C: interregional cooperation).
I am specifically an IVY: an Interreg Volunteer Youth. If you’re a young citizen from 18 to 30 years old, you can apply for this initiative. If chosen you will be able to volunteer in one of the various Interreg programs, and so to live in the European Country where Interreg activities are coordinated, supported by a financial compensation. This is a great opportunity to learn how the cooperation is reinforced with the aim to tackle common challenges identified jointly by the border regions.
The idea of Interreg in the Strand of cross-border cooperation is to enhance a sustainable and inclusive growth and promote the well-being of people living in regions lying directly on the borders. To this end, local problems are jointly addressed by cross-border actors, such as firms, research centers, public institutions, schools, local action groups, to find together solutions, products or procedures that can tackle challenges related to transport, health, environment, and sustainable energy, among others. These joint solutions also need to address global challenges, such as climate change, green transition, and social inclusion.
As an IVY, it is my task to promote and share the results of the projects funded by Interreg Italy-Austria, but I have a more specific task related to the consultations post-2027, needed by the European Commission to collect information on how to deliberate for the future of Interreg. Thanks to this specific job, I have interviewed over 30 partners that live and work in Austria and in Italy. They have offered me a valuable insight on their cross-border experience so far. Interreg has made possible for them to travel, meet, exchange opinions and practices and learn from different perspectives. Every partner has highlighted how borders facilitate, rather than diminish, the will and the opportunity to work together to build something good for their territory: to “give something back” is always at the center of every project funded by Interreg IT-At. Against the gloom of a “nationalistic” ghost over the European Union that is leading to raising walls and closing doors, Interreg shows that cooperation across borders is very well-received and it’s blossoming: from developing workshops with a participatory approach for school students to motivate and inform them on sustainable mobility and climate change (Project Mobility for Future | Interreg Italy Austria), to develop a common cross-border ecosystem that aims to capacitate the introduction of circular processes in the food production chain (Project FOODIS | Interreg Italy Austria).
In addition, thanks to IVY I’m also meeting new people, making friends, learning about a different place and culture (every Italian region has a different culture) and this is also a personal and professional enrichment. I can only recommend this experience, especially if you feel like a small fish in an immense and indifferent ocean: Interreg showed me that it is by starting small that you get to be big.
– Olga Abbiani, IVY Reporter at JS Interreg Italy – Austria
