Regional consultations on the future of Interreg brought together 150 representatives from Bulgaria and Türkiye. The meeting in Burgas hosted regional authorities, business, civil society and beneficiaries from both countries. The consultations aim to gather ideas that will guide the design of the post-2027 programming period.
The presented report on stakeholders’ views and expectations, conducted in 2024, highlighted a strong ambition to transform Interreg from a funding instrument into a driver of tangible cross-border change. Participants in the survey highlighted several key priorities: stronger people-to-people cooperation, environmental protection and support for SMEs, innovation and youth. Among the challenges are the complex procedures and administrative burdens, so future Interreg shall be faster, simpler, flexible and results-oriented.
At the same time, the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 introduces important structural changes. EU funding will be more strongly linked to performance and measurable results, as well as to alignment with broader EU priorities such as competitiveness and resilience. This approach is expected to place greater emphasis on tangible impact and cross-border added value in the implementation of programmes.
The strategic discussion in groups with all participants identified the untapped potentials for joint projects, the key territorial needs and the areas where cross border cooperation is essential.
The meeting was jointly organised by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye. Next meeting will be in Haskovo in the following weeks.
