Bavarian-Czech monitoring committee selects new projects for cross-border INTERREG programme

MUNICH   The monitoring committee of the INTERREG Bavaria-Czech Republic EU funding programme has selected new projects under the chairmanship of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. Following a good start this summer, the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs Ilse Aigner sees this as confirmation of the cross-border programme’s success: “In this round, we will provide EUR 15.2 million from the European Regional Development Fund for the 21 projects in the Bavarian-Czech border region. The continued interest highlights the importance of the INTERRREG programme. It is a great opportunity to develop the economic and living conditions in the border region further in a targeted and demand-oriented manner.”

Digitisation is playing an ever-growing role, and the INTERREG programme is no exception. Aigner adds: “The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs has long recognised the importance of digitisation for our economy. That is why we continue to drive consistent implementation in all areas. We have also placed the right focus in the current 2014-2020 term of the INTERREG programme. Together with our project sponsors, we are advancing future topics such as Industry 4.0 and digital production within the region, in particular via the ‘Research, technological development and innovation’ priority axis.” One concrete example is the ‘Industrie 4.0 ohne Grenzen’ (Industry 4.0 without borders) project. Built at Technology Campus Cham in cooperation with the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, a model factory is intended to enable technology transfer in the field of digital production, in particular for SMEs on both sides of the border, and to tap digitisation for products and processes. “This increases the profitability of businesses and equips the entire region to face the future challenges of international competition,” explains Aigner.

The INTERREG programme 2014-202 (INTERREG V) aims to promote direct cross-border cooperation between Bavaria and the Czech Republic. It is part of the European Regional Development Fund. EUR 103.4 million of EU funding will be invested in the programme by 2023.

Further information and the next deadline for submission of Bavarian-Czech project applications can be found on the programme's website:  www.by-cz.de.