Filenews 10 April 2022 - by Angelos Nikolaou
In the works is the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme "Greece - Cyprus 2021-2027", with a budget of €57 million to relaunch the local economy to a significant extent.
The Programme is expected to contribute to:
The protection of the natural environment, adaptation to climate change with efficient green energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The promotion of socio-economic development through the strengthening of culture, sustainable tourism and the social economy.
Greater security and protection in the intervention area, through more effective integration of refugees and migrants.
The total budget of the Programme amounts to €57,489,018, of which €45,991,214 comes from the European Regional Development Fund - ERDF (80%) and €11,497,804 (20%) from national resources.
European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), also known as Interreg, is one of the two objectives of EU cohesion policy and provides a framework for the implementation of joint actions and policy exchanges between national, regional and local actors from different Member States. The cross-border cooperation area of interest VI-A Greece-Cyprus 2021-2027 includes three NUTS II regions for Greece (Regions of Crete, North Aegean and South Aegean), while for Cyprus the eligible area is the whole country (NUTS I).
The area of implementation of the new Programme is the most south-eastern territorial unit, acting as a gateway to the EU. It borders with eight countries, one of which is a candidate for accession (Turkey) and the remaining seven countries are neighbours of the EU (Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt and Libya) and receive financial assistance from the Neighbourhood Instrument, Development & International Cooperation. This makes it the only cross-border region of the EU bordering two continents (Africa and Asia).
Through the Cooperation Programme for the development and protection of the area of intervention, the following priorities were established:
1st: Protection of the natural environment, adaptation to climate change with efficient green energy, prevention of risks and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
2nd: Promotion of socio-economic development through the strengthening of culture, sustainable tourism and the social economy.
3rd: Greater security and protection in the intervention area, through the more effective integration of refugees and migrants.
The Strategic Environmental Impact Study of the Interreg Cooperation Programmes 2021-2027 is currently under public consultation by the Environmental Authority until the end of April.
Promotion of energy efficiency
The energy sector is a key policy axis for energy and climate up to 2030 for both countries. The building stock of Cyprus and Greece is constructed with zero or very low level of thermal protection, thus being a source of low energy efficiency. The National Energy and Climate Strategy of both countries includes targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as saving energy and improving energy efficiency. Collaborative actions for the implementation of innovative methods of energy upgrading of buildings (e.g. cultural heritage buildings), through the exchange of experience and knowledge, will contribute to the improvement of the energy performance of eligible buildings. Both countries are highly dependent on fossil fuels, resulting in high greenhouse gas emissions, while they have not fully exploited the potential of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and especially wind and solar energy sources in Greece and solar Cyprus. The cross-border area has a plethora of natural resources, and its potential for renewable energy sources (wind, solar, wave) is very high, but remains largely untapped. Actions for the exploitation of new technologies and RES in the primary sector as well as the promotion of mild cultivation practices will contribute to the satisfaction of targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Among the indicative projects proposed are innovative actions to promote energy upgrading and more efficient use of energy in buildings, pilot actions to strengthen energy communities, pilot actions for the exploitation of new technologies and RES in the primary sector and the processing of agricultural products.
