Brussels time
The Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) Programme provides funding for regions to work together with a focus on promoting sustainable development in remote and sparsely populated communities.
Projects funded by the Interreg NPA programme are invited to join efforts and submit a clustering project application that leads to better outputs and results.
In 2017 and 2018, the NPA programme funded projects to encourage clustering activities between ongoing projects in Interreg programmes in the Arctic. Clustering activities were to take place with the objective to diversify and capitalise on outputs and results from two or more previously implemented or ongoing projects. Based on previous experiences, the Interreg Aurora and NPA programme administration want to encourage clustering activities between the two programmes through a common/coordinated call. Interreg Aurora will fund cross-border clustering projects and Interreg NPA will fund transnational clustering projects.
A clustering project is in general intended to lead to better outputs and results from the involved projects and a greater outreach for the dissemination of the results from the two programmes. Clustering projects are expected to give a higher profile to topics relevant to people living in the Arctic and contribute to the practical implementation of the EU Arctic Policy in communities. Examples of outcomes are:
• Projects collaborating to explore transferring of project outputs to other organisations, sectors and/or regions, for example disseminating result and outputs beyond their ongoing or completed project activities.
• Projects collaborating to maximize the cross-border/transnational impact of existing outputs on local level, to end users or widening the preparedness for cooperation to other beneficiaries, for example by organising collaboration initiatives that connect end users across regions.
• Projects collaborating to increase the awareness of the cross-border/transnational added value and the potential of cooperation. The establishment of a lasting network could be one such activity for example.
• Projects with complementary skill sets collaborating to focus on improving (the uptake of) project outputs.
• Projects collaborating to gain critical mass to inform decision makers.
Small-scale transnational clustering projects must involve partners from at least 3 NPA programme partner countries. At least one partner from an ongoing or finalized project funded by the 2021-2027 Interreg Aurora programme and at least one partner from an ongoing or finalized project financed by the 2021-2027 Northern Periphery and Arctic programme. New partner(s) could be included, provided that there are clear synergies.
The partners in a transnational clustering project need to fulfil the Interreg NPA programme requirements for eligible partners, and they are expected to be located in the NPA area.
Partnerships are recommended to include at least 2 of the 3 geographical zones of the programme area: Finland-Sweden-Norway; Ireland; Faroe Islands-Greenland-Iceland.
In addition to expectations outlined in the Interreg Regulation, Lead Partners have to meet the following criteria:
• They are a public sector organisation.
• They are based in the NPA Programme area, unless they have a national remit that covers the Programme area.
The maximum total eligible project budget is 200 000 EUR, with a financing rate of 65% for all partner countries, except for Norwegian partners with a 50% intervention rate.
12 months for project activities, excluding final reporting.
Brussels time
