The Italy-Austria Interreg IV Programme

The Italy-Austria Interreg IV is a cross-border cooperation programme of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), whose general objective is to lay the foundations for a cohesive, long-term development of the border regions which are characterized by natural barriers that make them less competitive than other regions.  

The programme provides funds for projects with Italian and Austrian partners, where there has to be at least one partner for Italy and one for Austria.  


There are two main areas of interest for this programme: 

• economy and competitiveness, which focuses on improving the employment and competitiveness of firms located in the border areas (both small and medium businesses) from both the tourism sector and the agriculture and forestry industry; 

 

• territory and sustainability, which results in the protection of biodiversity, protected areas, prevention environmental degradation in general and the enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage.

The recipients are:

• universities and research centres;
• national, regional and local public authorities;
• public and private consortia;
• development agencies;
• science and technology parks;
• business innovation centres;
• Chambers of Commerce;
• other beneficiaries compatible with the subjects covered by the programme.

The geographical areas that will be considered by the programme are: 

• in Italy the provinces of Bolzano, Belluno, Udine, Gorizia, Pordenone, Treviso and Vicenza;  

 

• in Austria Klagenfurt-Villach and Oberkärnten (Carinthia), Pinzgau-Pongau (Salzburg), Tiroler Oberland, Innsbruck, Tiroler Unterland, Osttirol (Tyrol), the Außerfern region (Tyrol),  the area of Lungau and the area of Salzburg und Umgebung (Salzburg), and the Unterkärnten region (Carinthia). 

The maximum amount of funding for each approved project is 1 million euros and only exceptionally will it be equal to 100% of approved expenses. On average, the funding  amounts to 80-85%, which is why projects that have a degree of co-financing in terms of additional funds and/or enhancement of internal personnel costs are welcomed and will be judged positively.

The funding advertisements are published annually, usually in November, and the deadline for submitting applications is in March of the following year.

The new 2014-2020 Programme will be published in 2014; until then there will be no further calls published.

For more information, the FUB’s researchers can contact the Central Research and Innovation Service.

More information is available at www.interreg.net