Gov't approves Interreg IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme Romania-Serbia 2021-2027

The Government approved on Wednesday the negotiation and signing of the Interreg IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme Romania - Serbia 2021 - 2027 and of the engagement letter, in order to send the documents to the European Commission for negotiation.

According to a release of the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration (MDLPA), Minister Cseke Attila has been mandated to conduct possible modifications requested following the negotiation with the European Commission.

Moreover, the Government also approved the list of the Romanian institutions that will be part of the Monitoring Committee of the future programme. After the EC approves the programme, the Monitoring Committee will approve the documents for launching the first call of projects.

According to the MDLPA, Romania is Management Authority for the Interreg IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme Romania - Serbia 2021 - 2027, with a total budget worth 87,725,681 euro that will fund projects on environmental protection and adaptation to climate changes, health, education, tourism and culture, as well as border management.

Funding for such projects will be 85% from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III), 13% - national co-funding, ensured by the Romanian state, and 2% - own contribution of the Romanian beneficiaries. The Serbian beneficiaries will ensure 15% funding entirely from their own contribution.

The programme will include three counties in Romania - Timis, Caras-Severin and Mehedinti - and six districts in Serbia, Severno Banatski, Srednje Banatski, Juzno Banatski, Branicevski, Borski and Podunavski.

MDLPA has organised since October 2019 consultations with key-players involved in this programme and has posted on the www.romania-serbia.net website, for public consultation, all documents corresponding to the programming process, aimed at ensuring a transparent institutional collaboration framework, the release also reads. (AGERPRES)