Shaping the future of cooperation: European Commission releases Harvesting Report on post-2027 Interreg

The report encapsulates the outcomes of a large-scale consultation process implemented by the European Commission to inform policy debates on the future of European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg).

Publication Date
28/05/2025
Reading Time
2 minutes

The European Commission has released the Harvesting Report on post-2027 Interreg, summarising insights from over 10,000 citizens and stakeholders across Europe and beyond. Back in 2023, the European Commission launched a large-scale process to inform discussion on Cohesion Policy reform and the future arrangements of post-2027 for European Territorial Cooperation, commonly referred to as ‘Interreg’.

Notably, around 100 young Europeans contributed to the ‘Declaration by Young People on the Future of Territorial Cooperation,’ underscoring youth engagement in shaping policy.

NEXT MED, belonging to strand B “Transnational cooperation” and the external component Interreg, contributed to this exercise on post-2027 by conducting its own consultations, summarized in the document “United by the Sea: driving cooperation forward for a thriving Mediterranean” shared with the European Commission on behalf of the 15 participating countries.

Among the findings of the harvesting report concerning external Interreg programmes are:

  • The recognition of the impacts of political instability and tensions in the context of external cooperation programmes
  • The confirmation that environmental protection and biodiversity as well as cultural heritage are key areas of interest for cooperation

In the specific case of Interreg NEXT MED, here are some relevant outcomes and recommendations of the consultation:

  • The main perceived benefits of transnational cooperation are to promote sustainable development in the Mediterranean region and enhance the well-being of communities across borders.
  • Streamlined funding mechanisms: to enhance the efficiency of project implementation, future Interreg programmes should introduce lump sum projects and cascade funding (sub-granting) mechanisms.
  • Address the emerging needs of the different areas by adapting the strategies, meaning that the design should focus more on relevant sectors in the Mediterranean region rather than only focusing the calls on priorities or specific objectives.
  • Consider youth participation as a full part of the Interreg Programme implementation (ex: Interreg NEXT MED dedicates up to 20 % of its budget calls for youth-oriented projects).

Last Update

28/05/2025