Progress regarding the CBC Programmes

CESCI has continued the work regarding the thematic preparation of the cross-border cooperation programmes. We finished updating the territorial analysis of the Slovakia-Hungary INTERREG Cross-border Cooperation Programme in the middle of June and we sent it to the Managing Authority. In case of the Hungary-Serbia INTERREG IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme, the analysis is being finalized, which will be followed by the organization of sectorial workshops. In the Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine NEXT Program between 2021-2027, the development of the territorial analysis and involvement of territorial actors with questionnaires has began. In all three programmes it causes difficulties that the acceptance of the package of proposals regarding the multiannual financial framework (MFF) as well as the regulations governing the programming process is further extended at Union level because of the epidemiological situation.

Due to the epidemiological situation during the spring of 2020, some methodological changes were needed in the final phase of the thematic preparation of the Slovakia-Hungary INTERREG Cross-border Cooperation Programme. Instead of the planned workshops in person, we had to organise online webinars in three topics (Heritage management, Economic development, Social challenges), on both sides of the border. In each of the six webinars 25-30 territorial experts participated to give their opinions on the key findings of the analysis. Furthermore, CESCI also requested written observation, which were incorporated into the final version of the analysis. Based on the material sent to the Managing Authority in the middle of June, the programming process will move into the next phase during the summer.

The thematic preparation of Hungary-Serbia INTERREG IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme moved into a new phase in June 2020, when the Managing Authority and the National Authority of the programme sent us their observations about our territorial analysis providing the base of the next programme. The observations are currently being processed and handled; the necessary additions are being made. After finalizing the analysis, we plan to organize sectorial workshops during the summer (offline or online, in accordance with the current regulations), the results of which will be utilized in the next phase of the program’s preparation process.

CESCI has also started the preparation of the territorial analysis that provides the base of the Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine NEXT Programme. Besides the statistical analysis involving participating countries and the review of the relevant literature, the Managing Authority has sent the questionnaire made by CESCI to more than 700 local actors, which is meant to assess the thematic focus of the next programme’s call for tender, the type of the available tools and the type and maturity of the existing project ideas. The territorial analysis containing the results of the questionnaire is planned to be finalized by August; further consultations with the stakeholders will take place in the autumn.