On 19 and 20 April this year, in Malmö, Sweden, the Monitoring Committee of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027 (hereinafter – the Programme) selected 13 projects to receive funding in the second call for small project proposals. The projects will be financed by the European Regional Development Fund and national Norwegian funding in the fields of innovation, the environment, and climate change.
Latvian partners are participating in 8 projects, taking on the role of Lead Partner in three:
TRUST ALUM; MentalHealthMatters; BALTIC UKH; CCI4Change, BEACH-SOS, Circular FoodShift, 3I solutions for PS, MainPotRe.
The range of Latvian project partners is broad, including regional and local level authorities, universities, non-governmental organisations, and commercial entities.
The activity of local governments in participating in international cooperation projects is particularly noteworthy; for example, Riga Municipality, in cooperation with the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, and the State Environmental Service, will implement the TRUST ALUM project, focusing on water management in the Baltic Sea region – specifically eutrophication. Project activities will concentrate on the wider application of the ALUM (water treatment) method in the region; it is capable of quickly and effectively tackling eutrophication hotspots in the Baltic states, ensuring a long-lasting positive impact on lakes.
Riga can boast an extensive network of waterways, which includes both large (Daugava and Buļļupe) and small (Piķurga, Strazdupīte) rivers, as well as larger and smaller lakes (Lake Jugla, Gaiļezers, Ķīšezers, Velnezers). The ALUM method will be demonstrated in the Riga municipality, alongside work on developing a roadmap for how to plan and carry out the ALUM method.
Saulkrasti Municipality will implement the BEACH-SOS project, which aims to include a climate change aspect in beach management strategies and provide the best available data and information for coastal tourism. Within the framework of the project, various data (coastal ecosystems, economic, political) necessary for planning and practical implementation of measures will be collected in the Saulkrasti region, promoting the development of coastal tourism.
Smiltene Municipality will implement the 3I solutions for PS project, which will help public organisations foster innovation. The project will build innovation management practices in the Baltic Sea region, piloting the implementation of scalable augmented reality technologies to provide positive and measurable results for attracting investment. The project includes developing a roadmap for successful innovation management in the public sector and implementing a training course. Smiltene Municipality will collaborate in the development of augmented reality solutions and test them in public outdoor spaces; furthermore, these solutions will be introduced into the work of public services and in cooperation with local residents.
The indicative funding allocated to Latvian project partners is €738,506 from the European Regional Development Fund. The exact amount of funding will be known after the conditions set by the Programme Monitoring Committee are met, technical clarifications are made, and funding agreements are concluded with the Programme Managing Authority.
The aim of the programme is to use international cooperation to put into practice innovative, sustainable climate solutions and the efficient use of water resources, ensuring benefits for all residents of the Baltic Sea region.
The Monitoring Committee is the decision-making body on programme implementation issues, including programme documents, conditions for project calls, and the selection of projects for funding. Latvia is represented on the Programme Monitoring Committee by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, acting as the National Responsible Authority for the European Union Cohesion Policy objective 'European Territorial Cooperation' (INTERREG) programmes.
More information about the projects selected by the Programme Monitoring Committee:
https://interreg-baltic.eu/top-news-2022/the-best-ideas-selected/