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Innovative societies Water-smart societies Climate-neutral societies 

Interreg makes
a difference!

Explore how people in the Baltic Sea region have been benefitting
from our projects.

#MadeWithInterreg solutions for

Cleaner waters

Cleaner waters thanks to viable monitoring system, new methods for removing micropollutants from wastewater and sharing knowledge

What are we doing?

Coordinated actions are the key to cleaning Baltic Sea waters efficiently. Interreg projects that bring people together across sectors and countries stand behind many of them. Not only do they introduce new systemic methods to clean wastewater, but also ensure the spread of knowledge of those methods in the region. Trust in project recommendations directly translates into new policies and investments. In a long run, cooperation in projects exceeds original partnerships and builds grounds for new initiatives and actions to respond to arising challenges.

Examples of #MadeWithInterreg solutions:
  • a platform collecting best practices in smart water operations
  • a risk assessment system to monitor concentrations of micropollutants
  • novel methods to clean wastewater from micropollutants, e.g. pharmaceuticals
  • new technologies to reduce phosphorus losses
  • enhanced water treatment to improve water quality in lakes

 

What we’ve achieved so far? 

The Baltic Sea is one of the most heavily eutrophicated seas in the world. Interreg projects helped improve wastewater treatment, which is one of the factors influencing eutrophication. At the beginning of the 2000s, more than 20 cities collected best practices in water management and shared them with other city administrations around the Baltic Sea region. In 2009-2013, projects showcased that it was possible to reduce discharges of nutrients from wastewater treatment facilities to the level set in the Baltic Sea Action Plan of HELCOM. The HELCOM Action Plan targets were stricter than the EU requirement.

In 2016-2021, projects in cities and villages focused on improving the treatment of wastewater from residents and industries. Partners in projects tested new technologies that increased nutrient removal and reduced energy consumption in cities such as Daugavpils, Gdańsk, Tartu, Jūrmala, Kaunas, and Grevesmühlen. Rural municipalities benefitted from solutions like septic tanks and soil infiltration in Kolgaküla, Gennarby, Ainaži, and Leitgiriai. In other projects, partners tested the pre-treatment of wastewater at poultry, meat, and dairy factories in Leszno, Doruchów, Põltsamaa, and Jelgava. Following this joint work, the partners synthesised more than a hundred examples of smart water operations. Using this knowledge, they helped develop the new Baltic Sea Regional Nutrient Recycling Strategy of HELCOM, and revise the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. These two strategic documents help achieve a healthy state of the Baltic Sea.

 

Ongoing projects

The ongoing projects explore new methods to clean wastewater more efficiently and better monitor concentrations of harmful substances and micropollutants in water environments. They address various stages of water management, starting from pollution prevention at its source, extending to robust monitoring and risk assessment practices, and culminating in the adoption of advanced wastewater treatment technologies. The projects aim to influence policy-making processes and implement practical measures for long-term improvements.

 

Supporting the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 

Our projects play a vital role in achieving the ambitious goals of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) to save the Baltic Sea. In collaboration with the coordinators of the EUSBSR policy areas Nutri, Bioeconomy, Hazards, and Tourism, our projects make water and wastewater management more efficient and less resource-intensive in cities, rural areas, and tourist destinations. Together, our projects and the EUSBSR coordinators drive changes in water-related policies in our region, ensuring that the outcomes of our projects are integrated into legislation and continue to contribute to clearer, cleaner waters in the region.

 

Explore project solutions in more detail:

EMPEREST

Eliminating Micro-Pollutants from Effluents for REuse STrategies
The project EMPEREST tests advanced treatment technology that helps water utilities and companies better remove organic micropollutants such as PFAS or pharmaceuticals from wastewater.
Read more about the project

APRIORA

Improved risk assessment for strategic water management to reduce micro-pollutant emissions in the Baltic Sea Region
In the project APRIORA, environmental protection agencies and wastewater treatment plants get equipped with a GIS-based risk assessment system to monitor and model concentrations of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in order to improve water management and reduce emissions.
Read more about the project

BEACON

Application of biological effects methods in monitoring and assessment of contaminants in the Baltic Sea
In the project BEACON, public authorities and governmental organisations develop harmonised methods to assess contamination in the Baltic Sea waters, sediment and biota.
Read more about the project

AdvIQwater

Improving quality of BSR waters by advanced treatment processes
The project AdvIQwater tests photocatalysis, fungal treatment and biofilms methods to efficiently clean wastewaters from pharmaceuticals.
Read more about the project

NonHazCity 3

Reducing hazardous substances in construction to safeguard the aquatic environment, protect human health and achieve more sustainable buildings
The project NonHazCity 3 helps municipalities, entrepreneurs and individuals construct and renovate buildings with tox-free materials in order to protect health and the environment.
Read more about the project

TRUST ALUM

Building trust in target groups for ALUM treatment - an effective, yet misunderstood method for water quality improvement
The project TRUST ALUM helps public authorities in the Baltic countries make better use of ALUM water treatment and improve water quality in lakes.
Read more about the project

MUNIMAP

Baltic Sea Munitions Remediation Roadmap
The project MUNIMAP develops a legal and administrative framework for public authorities to initiate joint remediation of dumped munitions from the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak, which pose threats to the marine ecosystem and hinder the maritime economy.
Read more about the project

HAZARD

Mitigating the effects of emergencies in Baltic Sea Region ports
The Interreg project HAZARD made firefighters, coastguards, policemen and others involved in rescue operations in ports around the Baltic Sea more fit to save people and goods when accidents happen: Large scale exercises helped sea port authorities and rescue services to improve their structures and procedures to be better prepared for the next accident to come.
Read more about the project

BSR Go-abroad

BSR Go-abroad - building market and supply chain opportunities for micro SMEs within the Baltic Sea Region
The project BSR Go-abroad develops a blueprint for micro SMEs to help them expand business offers and enter new markets across the Baltic Sea region in order to keep their businesses thriving regardless of any disruptions to come.
Read more about the project

GRETA

GRETA
GRETA developed policy tools for sustainable Smart Specialisation innovation strategies in the Baltic Sea region to support the transformation of society and economy in line with the European Green Deal.

Read more about the project

BSN_powerhouse

Baltic Science Network - A Science Powerhouse
The Interreg project BSN_powerhouse enabled researchers, research infrastructures, higher education institutions to improve transnational exchange and capitalise on research capacity.
Read more about the project

Energy Equilibrium

Carbon driven energy equilibrium at the municipal scale
The project Energy Equilibrium helps public authorities and energy suppliers secure uninterrupted energy supply by developing solutions to store renewable energy.
Read more about the project

BEST ACE

Biogas - Established Sustainable Technology in A Circular Economy
The project BEST ACE helps develop natural gas grid infrastructure and use biomethane efficiently in long-haul transport and maritime industry.
Read more about the project

CommitClimate

Towards energy transition and climate neutrality in the BSR municipalities
In the project CommitClimate, cities develop, test and deploy a computer-based simulation model to create sustainable energy and climate action plans to reduce carbon footprint.
Read more about the project

BSG-Go

BSG-Go! Scaling-up Baltic Sea Game support for a resilient game industry
The project BSG-Go creates a community for young game developers and entrepreneurs to build on communication competences and ensure stable game industry growth.
Read more about the project

InnoFruit

Advancement of non-technological innovation performance and innovation capacity in fruit growing and processing sector in selected Baltic Sea Region countries
The project InnoFruit created a sustainable network of fruit-growing companies to make them more successful and competitive across the Baltic Sea region markets thanks to the exchange of innovative solutions.
Read more about the project

RenoWave

One-Stop-Shop extended model to increase the multi-apartment building stock renovation in the BSR
The project RenoWave establishes cooperation among homeowners, construction companies, energy agencies and public authorities to initiate more energy-efficiency renovations in multi-apartment buildings.
Read more about the project

BALTIPLAST

Baltic Approaches to Handling Plastic Pollution under a Circular Economy Context
The project BALTIPLAST brings technological solutions to help public authorities reduce plastic waste and trigger investments in sustainable sorting and recycling.
Read more about the project

BSR CLIMATE BUDGET

Cities and regions for a BSR climate resilient development by means of climate budgeting
Municipalities have made the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to reach the climate change mitigation goals. Carbon budgeting efforts pin down emissions targets, but do not include financial or management measures. In contrast, climate budgets elevate the climate mitigation contribution of a project or measure as a primary consideration in financial budgeting and negotiation processes. The project explores this concept to support its introduction in planning and decision making practices.
Read more about the project

KidsLikeUs

Empowering NGOs & public institutions in helping children overcome migration traumas using creativity and favors of nature
In the project KidsLikeUs, educators, public authorities and NGOs explore how contact with nature and appeal to all senses can improve mental well-being of children with traumatic experiences.
Read more about the project

INforM

Innovation Framework for Challenge Oriented Intelligent Manufacturing
The project supported small and medium-sized mechatronics and mechanical engineering companies to remain competitive within the context of the global digital transformation.
Read more about the project

CASES BSR

Climate Adaptation Support for Enterprises in the Baltic Sea Region
Research show that four out of five small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) fear impact of climate change on their businesses. All regions in Europe are affected by climate change in some sense.

The project CASES BSR addresses the issue on how climate change affects SMEs and the increasing needs to adopt climate adaptation strategies for a long-term sustainability. The project raises the knowledge by research how various types of SMEs handle it today. The result by the research shall map the foremost needs of support among SMEs.

Read more about the project

InnoCAPE

Industry 4: transforming innovation ecosystem through better capacity of public enablers
The project InnoCAPE helped SMEs be more competitive, digitalised and better connected to the digital innovation ecosystem.
Read more about the project

Light in the Dark

Light in the Dark – Increasing resilience in rural and coastal tourism in the northern Baltic Sea Region by developing off-season experiences
The project Light in the Dark helps small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector create an off-season nature-based offer to attract tourists to rural and coastal areas of the northern Baltic Sea region all year long.
Read more about the project

TEST-4-SME

TEST-4-SME
The Interreg project TEST-4-SME helped electronics small and medium-sized enterprises to better, faster and easier demonstrate the conformity of electronic products with international standards and speed up the product development.
Read more about the project

AREA 21

Baltic Smart City Areas for the 21st century
The Interreg project AREA21 involved local and regional public authorities, energy providers, public property owners and citizens from six countries and improved cooperative planning processes by applying ICT-based tools for visualisation of energy consumption and upscaling good practices in energy saving to a district level.
Read more about the project

FanpLESStic-sea

FanpLESStic-sea – Initiatiatives to remove microplastics before they enter the sea
The project FanpLESStic-sea developed new tools to stop microplastics from entering the sea.
Read more about the project

ECOPRODIGI

ECOPRODIGI
The project ECOPRODIGI made the processes in the maritime industry more eco-efficient and sustainable by introducing cutting-edge digital solutions.
Read more about the project

Baltic TRAM

Transnational Research Access in Macro-Region
The Interreg project BalticTRAM successfully connected companies from the Baltic Sea region with universities, research institutes, and large scale research infrastructures across eight countries and helped 15 SMEs solve specific challenges in product development, e.g. for sustainable cement, better medical test kits, more durable electronics and longer lasting batteries.
Read more about the project

Distance LAB

Distance LAB
The ongoing fourth industrial revolution has strong implications for companies, e.g. the need to have a global perspective and to remain able to attract workers with changing expectations and to manage talent flow within companies. Distance LAB wants to ensure that SMEs have tools that keep them well informed and well connected to make rational strategic decision that keep up their innovativeness. Distance LAB wants to provide to agents of innovation support a toolkit for distance interaction softskills to eliminate distance between SMEs, RDI organisations, researchers, test facilities, innovation support agencies, workers etc and end users.
Read more about the project

Baltic LINes

Coherent Linear Infrastructures in Baltic Maritime Spatial Plans
In the Interreg project Baltic LINes, maritime spatial planners in countries around the Baltic Sea found an efficient way to exchange their national plans for developing energy corridors and shipping routes, and in this way to improve the connectivity across the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

MaDaMe

Maritime Data Methods for Safe Shipping
The MaDaMe project develops digital fairway services and cyber secure communication for maritime authorities to efficiently share navigational information and increase safety at sea.
Read more about the project

ENERPO

Energy production improvement based on dynamic mobile positioning data
Unused energy is still a major reason for the insufficient use of energy and thus waste of energy and resources. A more precise prediction of energy consumption would help to increase the efficient use of energy. ENERPO aims to elaborate tools and strategies to improve the prediction of energy consumption in three Baltic States. This could help to better match energy production and demand.
Read more about the project

LowTEMP

LowTEMP
The Interreg project LowTEMP brought together 19 partners from nine countries and 30 associated organisations to improve strategic tools on planning, financing, installing and managing Low Temperature District Heating systems allowing to significantly decrease heat loss.
Read more about the project

BalticRIM

Baltic Sea Region Integrated Maritime Cultural Heritage Management
The Interreg project BalticRIM contributed to integration of coastal and underwater cultural heritage such as ship wrecks and archaeological sites into maritime spatial planning by bringing heritage managers together with spatial planners and designating maritime cultural heritage.
Read more about the project

EMMA

Enhancing freight Mobility and logistics in the BSR by strengthening inland waterway and river sea transport and proMoting new internAtional shipping services
In the Interreg project EMMA, waterway administrations, business support organisations and ports together with shipping companies, logistics businesses, and research organisations jointly raised inland waterway transportation higher on the political agendas in five countries around the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

TETRAS

Technology transfEr for Thriving Recirculating Aquaculture Systems in the Baltic Sea Region
In the project TETRAS, public authorities trigger fish and shrimp farming on land, which reuses water from industries related to energy production and geothermal resources.
Read more about the project

AREA 21 + action

Baltic Smart City Actions for the 21st century
AREA21 + action practically demonstrated how CO2 emissions on a city level can be reduced through addressing the energy efficiency of the building stock.
Read more about the project

BSR SMART LIFE

BSR Lifelong Learning for Smart Specializations
There is a great potential for cooperation and knowledge sharing among countries in the Baltic Sea region when it comes to lifelong learning: the countries have a lot in common when talking about the ageing society and education systems that do not fully correspond to the labour market expectations. Therefore, the exchange of good practices and joint development of new methods are crucial. The project focuses on building a structured dialog with key stakeholders in order to create awareness of the needed adjustments of the educational systems and adapt to a fast-changing labour market.
Read more about the project

SEMPRE Accelerators

SEMPRE Accelerators for Service Co-Creation
Thanks to the project SEMPRE Accelerators, eight initiatives transformed to social start-ups and empowered the marginalised citizens in rural areas to get involved in co-development of self-sustaining businesses.
Read more about the project

Solutions stay with the people: listen to our #InterregVoices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© UBC SCC/Mariia Andreeva

Thanks to Interreg (...), we created momentum for essential aspects of sustainable water management connected to climate change, for example improving the wastewater and storm water management, reducing water pollution, and increasing the application of circular economy principles. [IWAMA; BSR Water]

 

 

 

Agnieszka Ilola 

Head of Secretariat, Union of the Baltic Cities, Sustainable Cities Commission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky

I can name a large number of examples of project outputs directly integrated into the regional policy framework. The first one is the recommendation on sludge handling. It was largely based on the PURE project. What’s more, the technologies tested in the project PURE to treat wastewater are in regular use now.

 

 

 

Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky

 Special Advisor to HELCOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© City of Turku

Thanks to Interreg projects, we have improved our public services for our citizens. Our water treatment facility has been involved in benchmarking water management processes and our water management processes have continuously been improving. Now, we have even better water quality and managed to keep the price of our water services at a moderate level.

Minna Arve

Mayor of Turku, Finland

#MadeWithInterreg solutions by topic

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